Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

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…

It was in 1987 that India last lost a Test match in Delhi. The Sir Viv Richards-led West Indies won that game by five wickets. That was the West Indies team of old — a side that was fearsome and ruthless, both at home and away. Fast forward to 2025, and the West Indies have lost a home series 3–0 to Australia, which included a shocking 27 all out. They then went on to lose a T20I series to Nepal before suffering another defeat to India in Ahmedabad — this time inside two and a half days. While they still…

India’s newly-appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill intends to adopt the “calmness” that his predecessor Rohit Sharma brought to the dressing room as he prepares to lead the team in the 50-over format, starting with the upcoming tour of Australia later this month. Having played a lot under Rohit’s leadership, Gill highlighted the qualities of the former captain that he aims to embrace as he takes over the reins. “There are so many qualities that I have inherited from Rohit Bhai; one is the calmness that he possesses, and the kind of friendship that he fosters among the group is something…

In front of the home fans and family members, the Akshay Wadkar-led Vidarbha team clinched the Irani Cup 2025 by beating the Rajat Patidar-led Rest of India at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur. Such was the competitiveness of both teams that the game almost went into the last session of the final day. Given the way the action panned out, it deserved an ending like that. Five days, 14 sessions of action-packed red-ball cricket. Atharva Taide’s century, Yash Rathod’s 91 in the first innings, Akash Deep’s three-wicket haul, Yash Thakur’s Day 3 spell, Anshul Kamboj’s reverse…

Vaibhav Tripathi in Nagpur Defending Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha secured their third Irani Cup title by defeating Rest of India by 93 runs on the fifth day at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur. In front of their home fans, the Akshay Wadkar-led Vidarbha lifted the Irani Cup trophy for the first time since 2019. The final day was set up beautifully, with Rest of India needing 331 runs while Vidarbha required eight wickets. Yash Dhull fought a lone battle with his 92. His 104-run partnership with Manav Suthar gave the hosts a scare, but Yash Thakur…