Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

Services wrapped up a stunning win by eight wickets over Assam in a match that lasted just four sessions. Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless after sending down 18 overs against Madhya Pradesh, who are in a strong position courtesy Yash Dubey’s unbeaten 109. After being left out of the Indian Test squad, Karun Nair made a strong statement with an unbeaten 176 to give Karnataka the upper hand over Goa. Assam vs Services In the shortest recorded Ranji Trophy match by balls, Services defeated Assam by eight wickets inside just 90 overs in less than two days at the Tinsukia District…

Services bowlers Arjun Sharma and Mohit Jangra etched their names in the history books by taking hat-tricks in the same innings against Assam. Out-of-favour India batters Ruturaj Gaikwad (116) and Karun Nair (86 batting) bailed their respective teams out of trouble, whereas the 36-year-old Ravindra Jadeja could manage only 36 in the first innings in his comeback game for Saurashtra. Assam vs Services A total of 25 wickets fell on what was a record-breaking opening day as cricket returned to Tinsukia after nearly 25 years. It was a bowlers’ day. Services’ left-arm spinner Arjun Sharma bagged a hat-trick and finished…

Vaibhav Tripathi A packed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) came alive as Rohit Sharma (121*) and Virat Kohli (74*) produced a stunning batting masterclass, combining for a 168-run partnership that powered India to a thumping nine-wicket win over Australia. With this dominating win, India avoided the series whitewash. A target of 237 was never going to be tough for the Indian team, given that the SCG provided the best batting conditions of the series. Rohit was the aggressor in the powerplay, taking on Mitchell Starc. Were it not for an economical start from Josh Hazlewood, Australia would have easily conceded more…

Rohit Sharma’s fighting 73, complemented by Shreyas Iyer’s maiden fifty on Australian soil, helped India post a competitive total of 264/9 in Adelaide. However, the visitors’ effort proved insufficient on a pitch that eased under lights, as Matthew Short’s assured 74 and Cooper Connolly’s unbeaten 61 guided Australia to a two-wicket victory, securing an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match series. There was moisture in the wicket, which prompted Mitchell Marsh to bowl first. Much like in the first game, Australia’s pacers were relentless with the new ball. Rohit took the majority of the strike and played many dot balls.…

Babar Azam and Naseem Shah have been recalled to the T20I squad for the home series against South Africa. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the white-ball squads on October 23. Babar returns to the side for the first time since playing a T20I in South Africa last year. The likes of Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah and Hasan Ali, who were part of the Asia Cup squad, have been left out. Usman Khan is the wicket-keeper batter selected in place of Mohammad Haris. Big-hitting Abdul Samad has also earned a place in the side. Usman Tariq has been called up…

In a rain-interrupted game, Australia spoiled the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma by dismissing them early and sealing a seven-wicket victory in the first ODI. The hosts also recorded their first-ever win in this format at Optus Stadium, Perth. Right from the start, things didn’t go India’s way. After losing a 16th consecutive toss in the format, India were forced to bat first in seam-friendly conditions. The seasoned duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were right on the money. While the former found some swing by pitching the ball up, the latter was content to hit the…

Uttar Pradesh vs Andhra (Result: Match Drawn) At one point, Uttar Pradesh looked set to concede the first-innings lead. Having lost six wickets with 220 runs on the board, all eyes turned to Rinku Singh — and he played a blinder, not just saving the match but also securing bonus points for his team. One of the highlights of his unbeaten 165-run knock was the way he batted with the tailenders. Eight bowling options were tried by Andhra skipper Ricky Bhui, but none succeeded against a determined Rinku. Rajasthan vs Chhattisgarh (Result: Rajasthan won by 9 wickets) The day began…

Kerala vs Maharashtra Despite Sanju Samson’s stroke-filled half-century and a fighting knock from vice-captain Mohammad Azharuddeen, Kerala could only manage 219 runs, handing Maharashtra a 20-run lead. That lead extended to 71 by the end of the day, as Prithvi Shaw and Arshin Kulkarni put together a rapid 50-run stand to strengthen Maharashtra’s advantage. M.D. Nidheesh, who took a five-for in the first innings, couldn’t replicate his magic in his initial spell, leaking 21 runs in three overs. Once again, play was suspended early in Thiruvananthapuram due to bad light. Saurashtra vs Karnataka It was a one-man show in Rajkot…

Kerala vs Maharashtra After being put in to bat, Maharashtra lost five wickets with just 18 runs on the board. Three wickets fell without a run being scored in the first seven deliveries. Then, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jalaj Saxena forged a 122-run partnership to rescue their team from troubled waters. Gaikwad batted well but fell short of his century, missing out by nine runs. Stumps were called early on Day 1 due to bad light. Maharashtra ended the day on 179/7 in 59 overs. Saurashtra vs Karnataka On the first day in Rajkot, spin dominated proceedings. Saurashtra’s left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh…

Having already toppled the likes of Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Sri Lanka in the past, Namibia showed they were no one-hit wonder by pulling off a stunning four-wicket victory over South Africa in a thrilling one-off T20I. The game delivered a series of historic firsts: the first international clash between Namibia and South Africa, Namibia’s maiden victory over the Proteas, and the first international match held at the new Namibia Cricket Ground (NCG) in Windhoek. In front of the 4,000-capacity crowd at the NCG, history was made by Gerhard Erasmus and his team. Even though they were up against a second-string…