Author: Boria Majumdar

She wasn’t even part of the squad, and was eventually called up in the most unfortunate circumstances when Pratika Rawal was injured. Call it divine providence or call it an absolute masterstroke, but Shafali Verma played the stellar hand in winning the Women’s World Cup for India. First with the bat, with a brilliant 87. An innings that was worth more than a 100. She kept the scoreboard moving and decidedly put the pressure on South Africa after India lost the toss yet again. A strong start was a must and Shafali and Smriti Mandhana ensured India got it. Some…

We at RevSportz have always prided ourselves on being able to do proper on-ground reportage. That’s where you can make a difference. That’s what we did for the Women’s World Cup as well. Trisha Ghosal and Snehasis Mukherjee started their journey on September 12, with the India-Australia bilateral series. Trisha covered it and was then joined by Snehasis in Guwahati on September 24. I remember asking them, “Do you want to finish the pujas and travel?” The two of them did not take time to say, “We will be there in Guwahati ahead of the team and be ready.”…

There were no television cameras in 1983 when Kapil Dev smashed that 175 not out against Zimbabwe and rescued India from the depths of despair. While the world missed out on seeing those heroics, for his teammates, the knock had the effect of making them feel that a miracle was indeed possible. A dream that few dared to even think or speak about turned into reality over the next two weeks. Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten innings of 171 against Australia in the 2017 semi-final, which was broadcast live across the world, had equal potential and more. Harmanpreet was trending ahead of…

Boria Majumdar In 24 hours, India’s women’s team will play the most important match of their lives. The stakes are at their highest and there is a huge amount of interest all round. The upset semi-final win over Australia has ignited fan passion and the tournament has come alive ahead of the final. I still call it an upset, for Australia were indeed the team to beat. They have proved it time and again, and set the bar really high. For India, the batting effort exceeded expectations. At the break, with 339 to chase down, hardly anyone gave India a…

Boria Majumdar As we soak in the miracle of Navi Mumbai, and yes, it certainly was one, it is time to take a pause and reflect. A deep dive will tell you that it was by no means the perfect game. The batting was stellar and Jemimah Rodrigues played the innings of her life. Harmanpreet Kaur played a very important knock and so did Richa Ghosh with her power-packed cameo. While we celebrate the batting effort and also the human frailty that Australia showed, we must also acknowledge that India were not close to their best with the ball or…

For the longest time, people have said that all she does is make fancy reels, that she is more a social media phenomenon than a cricketer. That she had talent has always been known. Tonight was when all of it came to light, and Jemimah Rodrigues helped vanquish the world’s greatest-ever women’s cricket team. Coming into bat early on after Shafali Verma was dismissed, Jemi knew she had to stay on and play big. More so when Smriti Mandhana was caught down the leg side. It was Jemi who took on the role of senior partner in the run chase.…

As journalists, we are expected to be objective. And it is our job to be so. But on occasion, you find it really difficult to stay neutral and talk reason. Today is one such. Yes, Australia are the favourites. They are the best team in the world by a mile. But then, this is a one-off game. We all know what can happen in a one-off contest. Rain and inclement weather notwithstanding, India do have a chance. In 2017, it was Harmanpreet Kaur who made the unthinkable happen. In 2025, it is yet one more opportunity for her and the…

Between 7:30am and 9pm every day, the man is in the operation theatre conducting surgeries and saving lives. Away from the public glare, we don’t really know much about his daily routine. But the moment you ask the Indian sports ecosystem, players swear by him – he is their go-to man. Dinshaw Pardiwala is not just one of India’s best surgeons, he is also the miracle man of Indian sports. Because of medical confidentiality, there are things that can’t be disclosed in the public domain. That is only fair. Not being a medical expert, you always run a risk when…

Sport is cruel. Just when you think nothing can go wrong and the negativity is behind you, something happens that is least expected. That’s what transpired with Pratika Rawal against Bangladesh. She over ran the ball and then suffered that severe ankle sprain. It looked dire, and as she limped off, it was evident that her World Cup was over. With 308 runs, including a match-winning hundred against New Zealand, Pratika was a star for India in this competition. Against Australia in the pool stage, she played a very strong hand. To not have her in the semi-final is a…

As the dust settles on the ODI series and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli settle back in to more sedate lives away from the media glare, it is time to turn our attention to the T20 series, which starts on Wednesday in Canberra. With the T20 World Cup exactly three months away, this is India’s best chance to fine-tune and try out new things. Unlike competitions like the Asia Cup, where the pressure was high for off-field reasons, this is the best chance for Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir to take some bold calls. Take the case of Rinku Singh.…