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Daryl Mitchell struck an unbeaten 131 to lead New Zealand to a series-levelling seven-wicket win over India in the second one-day international on Wednesday.

Chasing 285 for victory, Mitchell’s eighth ODI ton and a 162-run stand with Will Young (87) for the third wicket helped New Zealand reach their target with 15 balls to spare in Rajkot.

Mitchell’s knock trumped an unbeaten 112 by KL Rahul in India’s 284-7 and forced the three-match series into a decider on Sunday in Indore.

Mitchell walked in to bat with New Zealand on 46-2 and along with Young helped the Black Caps take control.

Young fell to Kuldeep Yadav in the 38th over but Mitchell stood firm to bring up his hundred.

He hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 117-ball innings and, with Glenn Phillips, who made 32 not out, put together an unbeaten stand of 78.

Indian bowlers enjoyed early success when Harshit Rana bowled Devon Conway, who made 16, and fellow quick Prasidh Krishna had Henry Nicholls inside-edge a delivery onto his stumps for 10.

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But Mitchell, who was dropped on 80, and Young struck regular boundaries as New Zealand completed their highest-ever ODI chase in India.

Earlier, India skipper Shubman Gill made 56 before a brief collapse and a 73-run fifth-wicket partnership between KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja.

Rahul raised his eighth ODI ton in 87 balls with a six off Kyle Jamieson.

India started strongly courtesy of Gill and Rohit Sharma, who scored 24, as the opening pair put on 70 runs.

Rohit failed to capitalise on his start and fell to Kristian Clarke, before pace spearhead Jamieson sent back Gill.

Clarke kept up the charge with his medium-pace bowling to dismiss Shreyas Iyer for eight and the in-form Virat Kohli for 23.

The 37-year-old Kohli, who returned to the top of the ODI batting rankings on Wednesday, walked back to stunned silence after he played on as India slipped from 99-1 to 118-4.

Rahul then took centre stage to rebuild the innings along with Jadeja, who made 27.

The series will be followed by five T20s, ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 8.

READ: T20 World Cup 2026 additional tickets go on sale

Brisbane Heat captain Usman Khawaja has lavished high praise on pacer Zaman Khan for delivering an impactful final over to seal a victory over Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Set a stiff 161, the Hurricanes fell short in the final over, scoring only 157-8 at the end of their innings.

With this win, Heat secured two vital points to stay in contention of advancing through the final round.

Zaman, who came in as a replacement for injured Shaheen Afridi, made an impact with the ball, defending six in the final over to seal a come-from-behind win.

The 24-year-old started the over with a dot and a single, which was followed by two consecutive dot balls, leaving the Hurricanes needing four to win from the final delivery.

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With the crowd on its feet, Zaman held his nerve and got rid of Nikhil Chaudhary (16), who holed out to long on, resulting in an emphatic win for Heat against table toppers Hobart Hurricanes.

Speaking after the match, Khawaja praised the bowler for his outstanding bowling.

“He bowls a good yorker,” he said.

When asked whether he missed Shaheen Afridi, Khawaja said that he is happy with the replacement.

“Zaman Khan bowled really well, and Shaheen is a world-class bowler. His replacement is also very good,” said Khawaja.

For the unversed, Shaheen Afridi was ruled out of BBL 15 due to a knee sustained during the Heat’s fixture against Adelaide Strikers on 27 December.

READ: T20 World Cup 2026 additional tickets go on sale

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the sale of additional tickets for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will commence on 7 February.

According to the global governing body for cricket’s press release, fans can grab additional tickets for the mega event at ‘affordable prices’.

“The tournament kickstarting from February 7 had generated a buzz since they first went live in December. This included more than two million tickets up for grabs from games across the eight venues in India and Sri Lanka,” the press release wrote.

“Prioritising fan access for fans around the world, the ICC have introduced record affordable ticket prices for the marquee tournament – starting at just INR 100 in India (approximately $1.11) and LKR 1000 in Sri Lanka (approximately $3.26),” it added.

For the unversed, the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup 2026 is set to begin on 7 February across India and Sri Lanka.

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The highly-anticipated tournament will run till March 8 with 20 teams fighting for the glory.

The tournament will be hosted across eight stadiums in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kandy, and Colombo — with the opening match scheduled for 8 February between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Sri Lanka.

The action will move to India later in the day, where two-time champions West Indies will play Bangladesh.

In the evening, the hosts and defending champions India will square off against the USA in Mumbai to conclude an eventful opening day.

READ: Canada name squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Canada have named a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to begin on 7 February across India and Sri Lanka.

Dilpreet Bajwa will lead the side in Canada’s second T20 World Cup appearance, after their inaugural campaign in 2024.

Canada qualified for the mega event after a dominant performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Regional qualifiers, where the side remained unbeaten, winning all of their fixtures.

During the qualifiers, Shivam Sharma and Kaleem Sana were the notable performers, both scalping 11 and 10 wickets, respectively, which paved the way for them to the marquee event in India and Sri Lanka.

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Canada’s batting lineup is bolstered by Nicholas Kirton and Yuvraj Samra, who have a strike rate of 160.72.

For the unversed, the 20-team tournament is set to run from 7 February to 8 March in India and Sri Lanka.

The North American nation, slotted in Group D, will open their World Cup campaign against South Africa in Ahmedabad on 9 February 2026.

Canada Squad

Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Ajayveer Hundal, Ansh Patel, Dilon Heyliger, Harsh Thaker, Jaskarandeep Buttar, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Shreyas Movva, Yuvraj Samra.

READ: Virat Kohli claims No.1 spot in ODI Batting Rankings 

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said on Wednesday that Xabi Alonso has a great future in football despite Real Madrid replacing him at the helm this week.

Flick’s Barca beat Alonso’s Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, and a day later, Los Blancos agreed a deal with the Basque coach to depart and appointed Alvaro Arbeloa.

“We have to continue, we have to think about what we can do better, but he’s a fantastic coach and also has a great future,” Flick told a news conference ahead of Barca’s Copa del Rey last 16 clash at Racing Santander on Thursday.

Alonso, who won the Bundesliga unbeaten with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, lasted less than eight months in charge of Madrid, but Flick believes the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich player will soon land another big role.

“This is football and it’s not my business, but what I can say is that I have a very good relationship with Xabi,” explained Flick.

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“I met him at Leverkusen, when I was the (German) national coach, I always stayed in contact with him. He’s a fantastic coach.

“This is football, we have to accept these things, I wish him all the best and I think he will get a new one, a big project for him and his team.”

Flick confirmed Barcelona’s new loan arrival Joao Cancelo could feature against second division leaders Racing.

The coach said he was hoping to take advantage of Cancelo’s attacking quality between now and the end of the season.

“Joao is a fantastic football player, with a lot of quality in attack and this is what we need,” added Flick.

“When the opponent is (deep in their own territory), we have to (overcome) them and we need quality and he’s a good option for that.”

READ: WATCH: Zaman defends six in final over as Heat clinch thriller

HOBART: Fast bowler Zaman Khan delivered a sensational final over to seal a thrilling three-run victory for Brisbane Heat over Hobart Hurricanes in the 35th fixture of the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Set stiff 161, Hurricanes fell short in the final over and ended their innings on 157-8.

Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and Xavier Bartlett jolted Hurricanes early in the chase, with Tim Ward and Mitchell Owen sent back for one and eight runs respectively.

As a result, Hobart Hurricanes were reduced to 26-2 in 3.1 overs.

However, Beau Webster and Ben McDermott’s 98-run partnership not only launched a steady recovery but put their side on the cusp of victory.

The pair composed batting kept Heat bowlers at bay, with the scorecard reading 124 in 14.1 overs.

On any other day, it would have been Hurricanes game with 37 required of 36 balls with eight wickets in hand; however, Marnus Labuschagne’s prized wicket of Webster (51) opened the door for a dramatic Heat victory.

Soon after, McDermott followed him as Kuhnemann cleaned up the right-handed batter to bring his side back into the game.

 

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Ben McDermott top-scored with 59 off 36, striking three fours and three sixes.

With Brisbane Heat sniffing a victory, Matthew Wade and Nikhil Chaudhary were two batters at the crease, and the pair added a brief 16-run stand before the Hurricanes’ three more wickets fell in the span of six deliveries.

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Wade was caught for 11, whereas Xavier Bartlett removed Chris Jordan and Rehan Ahmed for ducks to leave down the equation to six from the final over.

The moment came for Zaman as he began with a dot and a single, followed by two consecutive dot balls, leaving the Hurricanes needing a four to win

However, Zaman bowled another excellent delivery to get rid of Nikhil Chaudhary (16), who wholed out to long on, resulting in an emphatic win for Heat against table toppers Hobart Hurricanes.

For Brisbane Heat, besides Zaman Khan, Xavier Bartlett was the notable contributor with three wickets to his name.

Earlier, put into bat first, Brisbane Heat scored 160-8 at the end of their 20 overs.

Jack Wildermuth made six before getting cleaned up in the third over, whereas skipper Usman Khawaja made 19 from 18, including a six.

At the end of the powerplay, Brisbane Heat were 46-2 with Nathan McSweeney and Matt Renshaw at the crease.

The duo steadied Brisbane Heat’s innings, powering them into a strong position before their middle order crumbled in the final overs, which limited them from posting an imposing total.

Nathan McSweeney was the star batter with 49 off 32, laced with seven boundaries, while Matt Renshaw scored 37 from 25, hitting two sixes and two fours.

For Hobart Hurricanes, Riley Meredith was the pick of the bowlers as he took three wickets.

READ: Saim Ayub loses top spot in T20I all-rounder rankings after Sri Lanka series

DUBAI: India’s star batter Virat Kohli has returned to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, more than four years after last holding the position, replacing teammate Rohit Sharma in the latest update released on Wednesday.

Kohli’s resurgence comes on the back of a match-winning 93 off 91 balls in India’s successful chase of New Zealand’s 300 in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Vadodara on Sunday.

His current form has been exceptional, featuring scores of 74*, 135, 102, and 65* in his previous four ODIs.

With this latest rise, Virat Kohli has reached the No.1 spot for the 11th time in his career. Since first achieving it in October 2013, the 37-year-old has spent a total of 825 days atop the rankings, the most by any Indian batter.

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He now sits tenth on the all-time list, behind Vivian Richards, who leads with 2,306 days at No.1.

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has slipped two places to third after scoring just 26 in Vadodara. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell moved up to second, posting 84 off 71 balls in the same match.

The top three remain closely contested, with Kohli at 785 points, Mitchell 784, and Rohit 775, meaning a single standout innings could shift the standings again.

KL Rahul also made progress in the rankings, rising from 12th to 11th after finishing 29 not out off 21 deliveries.

READ: Saim Ayub loses top spot in T20I all-rounder rankings after Sri Lanka series

DUBAI: Pakistan opener Saim Ayub has slipped from the number one spot in the latest ICC T20I all-rounder rankings following a subdued performance in the recently concluded three-match series against Sri Lanka.

Ayub, primarily known for his batting, managed just 30 runs across two innings as the series ended in a 1-1 draw, with the second match abandoned due to rain.

He did not get an opportunity to bowl in the series, resulting in a drop to second place in the all-rounder rankings with 269 points.

The top spot is now held by Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, who leads with 289 points.

The 23-year-old had first reached the summit on October 1, overtaking India’s Hardik Pandya, before briefly losing it to Raza in November, reclaiming it, and now ceding it once again in Wednesday’s update.

In the ICC T20I batting rankings, Ayub maintained his 37th position with 551 points.

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Babar Azam, who missed the Sri Lanka tour, slipped three places to 32nd with 562 points, while Sahibzada Farhan moved up one spot to fifth after scoring 51 and 9 in two innings.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, who hit a 45 off 12 balls with five fours and three sixes in the third T20I, rose 13 places to 41st in the batting charts.

In bowling rankings, Abrar Ahmed, who took three wickets in the first T20I but went wicketless in the third, dropped one place to fifth.

Mohammad Nawaz fell two spots to 13th, while Shaheen Afridi, sidelined with injury, slipped five places to 25th. Saim Ayub also dropped 12 places to 54th in bowling rankings.

Meanwhile, Salman Mirza made a significant jump of 16 places to 19th after taking 3-18 in the only match he played against Sri Lanka.

READ: PCB issues advertisement to sell Multan Sultans ahead of PSL 11

Antoine Griezmann scored a free-kick that helped Atletico Madrid squeeze past second-tier Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 on Tuesday to reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

Veteran forward Griezmann’s perfectly-placed effort broke the deadlock in the 61st minute, as the sides met for the first time in nearly eight years.

Depor supporter Jimmy Romero was viciously beaten and left in the Manzanares river in Madrid by Atletico ultras 11 years ago, dying as a result of his injuries, and he was remembered by a banner behind one goal at the Galician side’s Riazor stadium.

The cup match had been declared a high-risk game, and Spanish media reported there were some moments of tension between supporters outside, which did not develop into serious incidents.

Off the pace in La Liga and after defeat by rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals last week, a win was vital for Atletico to boost their chances of some silverware this season.

Diego Simeone’s side ended up with nothing in their frustrating previous campaign.

French forward Antoine Griezmann, 34, struck the woodwork towards the end of the first half as Atletico Madrid dominated but could not find a way through.

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Simeone hooked out-of-form striker Julian Alvarez before the hour mark, with the Argentina international having scored only once in his last nine matches.

Shortly afterwards, Atletico took the lead, with Griezmann delicately curling a free-kick into the top right corner from just outside the area, and it proved decisive.

“He’s still got the magic that keeps him going and gives him the desire to still be helping the team, like he did with this goal,” said Simeone.

Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao edged second-division Cultural Leonesa with a thrilling 4-3 win after extra time, despite having Aitor Paredes sent off in the 56th minute.

Real Sociedad and Osasuna drew 2-2, with the former progressing 4-3 on penalties.

Real Madrid, led by new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, visit Albacete on Wednesday and Copa del Rey holders Barcelona travel to face second division leaders Racing Santander on Thursday.

READ: PCB issues advertisement to sell Multan Sultans ahead of PSL 11

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally initiated the process to sell the ownership rights of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans, issuing an advertisement, inviting interested parties to submit their bids for the auction.

The PCB confirmed that bids are being sought for the franchise rights of the 2021 PSL champions. The deadline for submitting documents for the technical proposal has been set for January 30.

Only bidders who meet the technical requirements will advance to the next phase of the bidding process.

The development follows the departure of Multan Sultans’ former owner Ali Tareen, who announced in November that he was stepping away from the franchise.

Sources had indicated that relations between Tareen and the PCB had been strained for over a year, eventually reaching a point of no return.

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Subsequently, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed that the board would take control of the franchise following the expiry of the existing ownership agreement on December 31, 2025.

The initial plan was for the PCB to operate the team for a year before auctioning it in 2027.

However, the timeline appears to have been brought forward after the successful auction of two new PSL franchises.

Strong valuations achieved in the recent auction are understood to have encouraged the PCB to proceed with the sale of Multan Sultans earlier than planned.

The landmark auction, held at the Jinnah Convention Centre, saw FKS Group and OZ Developers acquire the newly added franchises from Hyderabad and Sialkot for Rs1.75 billion and Rs1.85 billion, respectively, expanding the PSL to eight teams from season 11.

READ: Pakistan women’s white-ball squads announced for South Africa tour