Author: Staff Reporter

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes that India are the favourites to win the 2025 Asia Cup. “I wouldn’t call them contenders — they’re coming in as champions,” Nayar told Sony Sports. “Given the kind of squad they have and the way they’re playing in this format, it’s their tournament to lose. If they don’t win it, something has definitely gone wrong.” India started the tournament with a dominant victory over the UAE, winning by nine wickets with 93 balls to spare. Not only did they secure two points, but the emphatic win also boosted their net run rate…

India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, has opened up about Sanju Samson’s role in the team, saying the wicketkeeper-batter is ready to play wherever the team needs him. In India’s first game of the Asia Cup 2025, Samson was picked ahead of Jitesh Sharma and was slated to bat at number 5. “Sanju hasn’t batted at number 5 or 6, but that doesn’t mean he can’t,” Kotak said at the press conference held at the ICC Academy. “I think he’s good enough to bat at any position, so depending on the team’s requirements, the captain and head coach will decide, and…

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to choose its next president without holding elections. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said the board is planning a unanimous appointment instead of a formal vote. The elections are to take place on September 28. “The nominations would start and you will get to know who is becoming the president. I don’t think there will be any elections. It would be done unanimously,” Dhumal told to NDTV on Friday, stressing that this decision can be agreed by all members. He explained that members will first submit their preferences before the…

Vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said Australia’s women’s cricket team is ready for the ODIs and World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, even though many of the stadiums will be new to them. The new mix of venues will be challenging for all teams, even to those who are familiar with the subcontinent. Indore’s Holkar and Guwahati’s Barsapara stadiums have never hosted women’s ODIs before. Navi Mumbai will host its first women’s 50-over games, and then Australia will return to Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium for the first time since 2016. McGrath explained the task before the three-match ODI series against India in…

Ajinkya Rahane praised the Indian team for showing sportsmanship against UAE in their first game in Asia Cup 2025. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Rahane said what captain Suryakumar Yadav did is what the game is about. “It was a great call by Team India and captain Surya because Junaid was not looking for a run. I guess he was not aware of where the crease was,” said Rahane. In the match during the 13th over of the UAE innings, Junaid Siddique was dismissed in a moment of carelessness. After facing a bouncer from Shivam Dube, he went out of…

India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill has revealed the two legends who inspired him to play cricket. Speaking on a podcast, Gill shared how his love for the game grew by watching Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. In a podcast on Apple Music, Gill said, “I have had two idols. The first one was Sachin Tendulkar. He was my dad’s favourite, and I actually got into cricket because of him. He retired in 2013, and around 2011–2013 was when I really started to understand cricket properly—not just the skills, but also the mental and tactical side of the game.” Gill…

Pakistan’s legendary pacer Wasim Akram has praised Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Speaking to Sony Sports, Akram said it is very difficult to pick Kuldeep’s bowling varieties. “Leg-spinner, googly, flipper—even I can’t read him sitting here. Even with a replay, it’s impossible,” he said. Kuldeep Yadav bowled a brilliant spell for India in their opening clash of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, taking four wickets to restrict the UAE side to a low total on his comeback to the Indian T20I team. Akram recalled his days as part of the coaching group of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL and…

Litton Das produced a captain’s knock to guide Bangladesh to a seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in the Asia Cup 2025. The skipper anchored the chase with a fluent fifty, as his side completed the target with 14 balls to spare. Chasing 144, Bangladesh lost their first wicket on the final ball of the third over. Litton then joined Tanzid Hasan Tamim in the middle, and the pair added 23 runs off 16 balls before Tanzid fell for 14. Towhid Hridoy came in next, and together with his captain, laid the foundation for a comfortable win. The duo shared a…

Central Zone finished Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy 2025 final on top at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru after South Zone were bowled out for 149 runs. Kumar Kartikeya took a four-fer while Saransh Jain grabbed a fifer as spinnes dominated the show with the ball. In reply, Central Zone reached 50 for no loss, remaining 99 runs behind the Central Zone. Batting first, South Zone’s struggled to get going from the start. Tanmay Agarwal scored 31 runs, which remained the highest score, while others failed to make an impact. Kartikeya removed three from the top…

Pakistan white ball head coach Mike Hesson has set the tone for Sunday’s high-stakes match between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, to be played at Dubai International Stadium, with his strong statement about Pakistan’s spin attack. Ahead of Pakistan’s match against Oman, Hesson praised Pakistan’s spin depth while calling Mohammad Nawaz the best spinner in the world. When asked if Sunday’s game would be a battle of wrist spinners, with India having Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav in the ranks, Hesson said. “I don’t think you can expect that this pitch is going to spin like it…