Author: Trisha Ghosal

Following India women’s emphatic second T20I victory, Player of the Match Shafali Verma fronted the post-match press conference with calm assurance, reflecting on her form, the team’s progress and the road ahead as preparations for the T20 World Cup gather momentum. Takeaways from two convincing wins Asked about the positives from the Vizag leg and areas that still need work, Shafali acknowledged the strong performances while admitting there is room for improvement. “There have been a lot of good things in these two matches,” she said, before pointing to fielding as an area of continued focus. “We know we are…

India women made it two wins in two matches with another emphatic performance, this time headlined by a Shafali Verma masterclass. Sri Lanka, batting first, managed 128/9 in their 20 overs, a total India chased down in just 11.5 overs to underline their dominance. India are once again showing why they are the reigning world champions. If the last game belonged to Jemimah Rodrigues, this one was unmistakably Shafali’s. While Jemimah had reminded everyone in the opener why India triumphed in the World Cup 2025 semi-final, Shafali brought back memories of the final. She was in sublime touch from the…

India stamped their authority in the series opener with a commanding eight-wicket win. Chasing a modest target of 121, they cruised home in just 14.4 overs, with 32 balls to spare. The margin of victory reflected India’s dominance, even though there were areas, particularly fielding, that the hosts would want to tighten going into the second T20I. India come into the second game with confidence firmly on their side. The batting unit looks largely settled, the bowling attack has variety, and the overall balance of the XI appears strong as the road to the 2026 T20 World Cup in England…

In what comes as a huge boost to women’s cricket in India’s domestic circuit, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has approved a 2.5 times increase in match fees for women cricketers. The decision was taken at its Apex Council meeting, sources have confirmed. As per the revised structure, senior women cricketers playing 50-over domestic matches will now earn Rs 50,000 per match if they are part of the playing XI. Reserves will receive Rs 25,000 per match. In the T20 format, players in the playing XI will earn Rs 25,000 per match, with reserves set to…

India’s comfortable victory over Sri Lanka in the first women’s T20I brought an old concern into sharp focus — fielding. Dew was not cited as an excuse, but it was certainly a possible reason for the slippery outfield and awkward handling. Even then, the larger issue goes beyond conditions. India dropped five catches, and that number alone tells a story that cannot be ignored any longer. This is not a one-off. India’s fielding has been inconsistent for a while now. During the ODI World Cup, there were moments of brilliance mixed with spells of untidiness. The trend continued from the…

In an era where T20 batting is increasingly reduced to raw power and six-hitting muscle, Jemimah Rodrigues delivered a timely reminder that there is more than one winning template in the shortest format. Her unbeaten 69 off 44 balls was not just a match-winning knock; it was a statement that intent does not always need brutality. Rodrigues struck at 156.82, a strike rate that any team would gladly take from a No.3 in a chase. More importantly, she did it without a single six. Instead, she relied on impeccable timing, sharp placement and relentless strike rotation. Ten boundaries flowed off…

India thrashed Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the five-match series in Vizag. The home team roped in left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma in the XI for the first game. She returned figures of 4-0-16-0. After the match, the debutant addressed the media. Here are excerpts of the press conference… On Making Her India Debut India’s comfortable win also marked a special personal milestone for Vaishnavi Sharma, who addressed the media with quiet confidence after her first appearance in national colours. Asked about missing out on individual recognition on debut, Vaishnavi was clear that there was no disappointment. Her focus,…

India began their 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup preparations with a thumping win against Sri Lanka in Vizag. Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka managed 121/6 in their 20 overs. India chased down the target with ease, winning by eight wickets with 32 balls to spare. Chasing 122, Jemimah Rodrigues took everyone down memory lane, playing a brilliant knock reminiscent of her semi-final century in the 50-over World Cup against Australia. Hitting the ball to almost every part of the ground, she found the gaps at will. The Sri Lankan bowlers and captain had no answer to Jemimah’s unbeaten 69…

The ODI World Champions are back in action from tonight, but in a different format. With about six months to go before the T20I World Cup, India begin their preparations for the marquee event as they take on Sri Lanka in Vizag. India have 11 T20Is lined up before the World Cup, five against Sri Lanka in this series, three against Australia in Australia, and three against England in England just before the tournament. These 11 games will be crucial for India to finalise their playing XI and, more importantly, settle their batting order. Jemimah Rodrigues’ performances in the ODI…

India are the current ODI world champions. Their preparations for becoming the T20I world champions in 2026 begins tomorrow with the five-match series against Sri Lanka. The first two T20Is will be played in Vizag, followed by the remaining three in Trivandrum. On the eve of the series, captain Harmanpreet Kaur addressed the media. Here are the excerpts from the press conference. On hectic days after the World Cup win Harmanpreet admitted that the schedule post the ODI World Cup triumph has been relentless but insisted she wouldn’t have it any other way. “It was hectic, but I want these…