Tag: india

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma ran riot as India thrashed the Netherlands by 95 runs in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday.

Mandhana and Verma put on 115 for the first wicket, setting the foundation for India’s imposing total of 209-5 in Leeds.

Smashing 11 fours and one six, Mandhana top-scored with 74 from 47 balls, while her fellow opener Verma hit 10 fours in her innings of 55.

India’s run spree left the Netherlands with little hope of a successful run chase.

Dutch captain Babette de Leede was their leading scorer with 28, but Verma followed her dynamic display with the bat by taking three wickets.

Sree Charani finished off India’s one-sided victory with four wickets from her four overs.

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India have won their first two games of the tournament in England after beating arch rivals Pakistan in their opener.

Earlier, Georgia Voll starred as Australia eased to a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh at Headingley.

Voll blasted six fours and one six in her unbeaten 45 from 32 balls, guiding Australian to their target of 78 for the loss of one wicket with more than 10 overs to spare.

Bangladesh mustered only 77-8 from their 20 overs, with Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry taking two wickets each.

Australia made it their successive wins to start the tournament after their 65-run victory over South Africa on Saturday.

Bangladesh had beaten the Netherlands in their opening match.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of their next two matches due to a calf injury.

Sciver-Brunt, who recently returned from a torn calf muscle, was forced to retire on 48 in Tuesday’s four-wicket win over Ireland in Southampton.

Scans on Wednesday revealed a calf muscle strain and the 33-year-old will not feature against Scotland or the West Indies.

READ: Shubman Gill’s 154 sets up series win for India

BIRMINGHAM: The tickets for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixture between Pakistan and India have sold out.

The ICC announced via official social media channels that fans should avoid visiting the designated ticket counters for Sunday’s big match, as no additional tickets will be sold at the gates

“Edgbaston is SOLD OUT for today’s T20 World Cup double-header,” the ICC posted.

“A cracking day of cricket is underway as Netherlands take on Bangladesh before the India-Pakistan match. No additional tickets will be available at the gates,” it added.

Pakistan will face India in their opening encounter of the mega event. The Green Shirts have featured in every edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup since 2009.

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Despite every appearance, they have not managed to advance through the group stage. Sana Mir captained the side in the first five editions from 2009 to 2016.

India has historically led the rivalry, winning 13 out of 16 T20 internationals between the two teams, while Pakistan has secured three victories.

Squads

Pakistan: Fatima Sana (c), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Tasmia Rubab and Tuba Hassan.

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nandani Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, and Radha Yadav.

READ: Women’s T20 World Cup: Australia crush South Africa to make statement start

Skipper Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 84 and inspired bowling led India to an emphatic seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in a rain-reduced 25-overs-a-side ODI contest on Saturday.

Chasing 195 for victory, India needed Gill’s 66-ball knock to achieve the target with 13 balls to spare in Dharamsala and lead the three-match series 1-0.

The bilateral series is the first between the two nations in the 50-over format.

Afghanistan posted 194 all out despite opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 102 as the rest of the batting faltered after the match started four hours and 15 minutes late due to persistent rain.

Indian debutants Gurnoor Brar, a fast bowler, and Harsh Dubey, a left-arm spinner, took three wickets each to bowl out Afghanistan in 24.5 overs after Gurbaz’s ninth ODI century.

Batters kept up the dominance with Gill leading the charge as he put on 46 runs with veteran batter Rohit Sharma, who made 16 before being run out.

White-ball star Rohit became the oldest Indian men’s player at 39 years and 44 days to play an ODI, 37 years after Mohinder Amarnath took the field at 39 years and 36 days.

Rohit departed after a mix-up with the captain, who then put on 70 runs with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who made 34, to lay the foundation for the chase.

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India lost Kishan and then Shreyas Iyer before Gill and KL Rahul, who struck a 19-ball 39, steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 53.

Invited to bat first, Afghanistan lost three early wickets before Gurbaz hit back in his 51-ball knock laced with eight fours and eight sixes.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, a wicketkeeper-batter, reached his hundred off 48 balls as he leapt up in the air, kissed the ground and acknowledged the applause from the Afghan dressing room.

He put on 118 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, who made 27, after Afghanistan slipped to 26-3 in 4.3 overs.

Brar struck in his first over to send back Ibrahim Zadran for one after the batter mistimed a hit to be caught at mid-off.

Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh then struck twice, but Gurbaz counter-attacked till his departure as he finally fell bowled to medium-pace bowler Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Shahidi became Dubey’s first wicket, and the bowler took two more, including one from a stunning catch by Gill, who dived to take a one-handed grab at first slip.

Azmatullah Omarzai hit a 16-ball 26 before the batting fell apart, and Gurnoor wrapped up the innings with his third strike.

The second match is on Wednesday in Lucknow.

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Debutant spinner Manav Suthar took three wickets to dent Afghanistan’s reply after India declared their innings on 564-8 in their one-off Test on Sunday.

Afghanistan were 113-5 at stumps on day two after Suthar had Afsar Zazai caught and bowled for three.

Rahmat Shah was unbeaten on 43, with Afghanistan still trailing India by 451 runs at New Chandigarh.

Afghanistan pace bowler Mohammad Saleem earlier took six wickets before India ended their first innings in the second session with Washington Sundar unbeaten on 52.

A fourth-wicket stand of 169 between captain Shubman Gill, who made 126, and Rishabh Pant (81) was the highlight of the Indian innings after the hosts resumed on 368-3.

Afghanistan started on a shaky note when left-arm spinner Suthar dismissed opener Abdul Malik for 16 with his fourth ball in Test cricket on the stroke of tea.

Pace bowler Prasidh Krishna dismissed Sediqullah Atal for 17 before 23-year-old Suthar had Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught at second slip for 12.

Shah then attempted to steady the innings with Hashmatullah Shahidi, who was trapped leg before by Krishna for 20.

Saleem, 23, struck twice in the morning session and then dismissed Suthar for 28 after lunch to claim his first five-wicket haul in Tests.

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He consistently bowled at speeds above 140 km/h (86.9 mph) to impress in just his second Test.

Left-hander Sundar and Mohammed Siraj went on the attack to boost India’s total.

Siraj hammered debutant left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote for a four and two sixes in one over before he was bowled by Saleem.

Saleem earlier broke the stand between Gill and Pant when he had the Indian captain caught behind with a delivery that held its line.

Wicketkeeper Pant added 31 runs to his overnight score and was eyeing a century when he was caught at long-off while attempting a big hit off Shahidi.

Afghanistan made even harder work of it by repeatedly failing to review borderline decisions.

Gill had added just five runs to his overnight score of 103 when he was struck on the pads by pace bowler Azmatullah Omarzai.

Afghanistan did not ask for a review after Gill was given not out, but ball-tracking technology showed the delivery would have hit the leg stump.

Pant, on 54, also survived the next ball despite ball-tracking showing that Omarzai had caught a faint edge, with Afghanistan again deciding against a review.

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MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav in a sweeping selection overhaul.

The decision comes amid Suryakumar’s dip in batting form, despite him leading India to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year.

He was dropped from the T20I side altogether after managing mere 242 runs in nine World Cup innings at a strike rate of 136.72 and enduring a modest IPL 2026 campaign with 270 runs in 13 matches at 20.76 average.

Iyer, meanwhile, returned to the T20I setup after a long absence, having last played in the format in December 2023. His appointment is backed by strong leadership credentials in franchise cricket, including guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title and leading both Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

His recent batting numbers further strengthened his case, with 604 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175.07, followed by 498 runs in IPL 2026 at 168.81.

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Moreover, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned his maiden call-up to the senior T20I squad after a blistering IPL season, during which he topped the run charts, amassing 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five half-centuries.

India will begin the new T20I era under Iyer with two matches in Ireland on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match series in England from July 1 to 11.

The BCCI named a 16-member squad for the Ireland and England tours, which will be trimmed to 15 for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4.

Jasprit Bumrah is set to replace Mohammed Siraj in the Asian Games squad, while Prince Yadav will miss out. The rest of the group remains unchanged.

India T20I squad for Ireland, England series: Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Mohammed Siraj, Prince Yadav.

India T20I squad for Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.

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KAKAMIGAHARA: India booked a place in the final of the U18 Asia Cup final following a 5-3 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the second semi-final at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hockey Stadium on Friday.

The thrilling encounter saw many ups and downs, with India eventually prevailing in the final moments of the game.

India were awarded a penalty stroke after a review by Pakistan failed to overturn the on-field decision. Purti Ashish Tani made no mistake from the spot in the 12th minute to give the Blue Shirts an early lead.

The Men in Blue capitalized on a penalty stroke after Pakistan failed a review in the first quarter. Purti Ashish Tani pierced the nets to give his side a lead in the 11th minute.

The Green Shirts bounced back after creating multiple chances with penalty corners. But it was Adeel who leveled the scoreline in the 26th minute with a brilliant left-handed reverse flick.

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India again took the lead in the third quarter despite Pakistan’s disciplined play. Ali Shahrukh managed to sneak through the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 2-1.

Soon after, Pakistan’s Muhammad Farhan Aslam gave a strong reply, converting the penalty corner into an equalizer in the 36th minute.  At the end of the third quarter, Pakistan moved ahead with Uzair Ahmed’s drag flick doing the work.

The final quarter began with aggressive play from both sides, but Ashish Tani ensured his side did not lose the plot. He first scored a goal in the 47th minute, followed by a brace in the 52nd and 55th minutes, to help his side reach the summit clash.

India will now play Japan in the final of the U18 Hockey Asia Cup on Saturday.

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India are set for a major leadership change in T20I cricket, with Shreyas Iyer emerging as the frontrunner to replace Suryakumar Yadav as captain.

According to reports, India’s selectors and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are considering a fresh direction in the shortest format despite Suryakumar guiding the team to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year.

The proposed change comes as India begin planning for the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2028, while also preparing for cricket’s return to the Olympics at the Los Angeles Games the same year.

Suryakumar’s position came under scrutiny following a mixed run of form. Although India lifted the T20 World Cup trophy under his leadership, the experienced batter scored 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72 during the tournament.

His struggles continued in IPL 2026, where he managed 270 runs from 13 innings at an average of 20.76 and a strike rate of 147.54.

Reports suggest the 35-year-old could even be left out of India’s upcoming T20I squad as the selectors look to build a younger core for future tournaments.

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Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, has strengthened his case through consistent performances and impressive leadership credentials in franchise cricket. The right-handed batter captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and previously led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

Despite not featuring in a T20I since December 2023, Iyer has remained among the most productive batters in the IPL. He amassed 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 during the 2025 season before following it up with 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 in IPL 2026.

The potential leadership switch would continue a recent trend in Indian cricket. Last year, Rohit Sharma was replaced as ODI captain shortly after leading India to the Champions Trophy 2025 title, although he retained his place in the squad as a player.

India are expected to announce their squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of Ireland and England on Saturday, with teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also set to earn his maiden international call-up.

The 15-year-old enjoyed a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.30. If selected, he would become the youngest player named in an Indian men’s squad since Sachin Tendulkar’s emergence in international cricket during the late 1980s.

India’s tour begins with two T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before a five-match T20I series against England, scheduled from July 1 to 11.

READ: Shaheen Afridi reflects on series victory over Australia

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav is set to be removed from the role, several Indian media outlets reported on Wednesday.

According to reports, the 35-year-old could be axed as captain, while his place in the team has also come under scrutiny.

The decision looms for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the India squad announcement for the tours of Ireland and England.

The decision is understandable as the board is looking towards a younger captain amid concerns over Yadav’s form and age on his side. His overall numbers have nosedived in recent times. From 1 January 2025 till the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026, Yadav only managed 702 runs in 35 matches at an average of 26.

Overall, he has played 113 T20Is, amassing 3272 runs at an average of 36.35 at an impressive strike rate of 162.94.

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Apart from international form, he also struggled in the recently concluded IPL 2026, where he could only score 270 runs in 13 innings, averaging just 20.76.

For the unversed, Suryakumar Yadav took over the captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma, who retired after the 2024 T20 World Cup.

He successfully led India after assuming the role, winning 40 of 52 matches with a 76% win rate, including the Asia Cup 2025 title.

Yadav memorably took the catch of South Africa’s David Miller on the boundary line in the final over of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final, a moment that ultimately secured the title for India.

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KAKAMIGAHARA: Pakistan and India are set to clash in the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2026 semi-final on 5 June at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hockey Stadium.

India advanced to the semifinals after defeating Chinese Taipei 13-1 on Wednesday. With this victory, India finished second in Pool A behind Japan, which remain undefeated in four games.

Meanwhile, Pakistan topped Pool B with six points ahead of Malaysia on goal difference.

Earlier today, the Green Shirts secured a 5-2 win over Bangladesh at the same venue, thanks to Abdullah Awan’s brace.

Pakistan started the match strongly as Abdullah Awan scored in the second minute of the first quarter, giving Pakistan a 1-0 lead.

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Bangladesh quickly responded with Islam Munna equalizing in the 11th minute, leaving the first quarter tied at 1-1.

In the second quarter, Pakistan dominated possession and earned three penalty corners but couldn’t convert any, ending the half without further goals.

Pakistan took the lead again in the third quarter when Adeel scored in the 32nd minute. Bangladesh quickly equalized with Islam Munna’s second goal in the 35th minute, making it 2-2.

The game then shifted in Pakistan’s favor as they scored two rapid goals. Haider Asam converted a penalty corner to make it 3-2, followed by Abdullah Awan’s second goal to make it 4-2 at the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Najeeb Muhammad Yahya scored in the 59th minute to make it 5-2, securing a convincing win for Pakistan.

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AUCKLAND: India is set to tour New Zealand for an all-format series later this year, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Wednesday.

The Blackcaps will host India for five ODIs and the same number of T20Is, with two Test matches concluding the tour.

According to NZC, this will be the biggest inbound tour in terms of matches (12) in New Zealand’s history. The tour will commence on 22 October with the ODI series and will conclude on 1 December 2026.

The New Zealand Government will back the tour as part of the celebrations for 100 years of sporting relations between New Zealand and India.

After India, New Zealand will host Sri Lanka for another multi-format series. The series will begin with three ODIs followed by three T20Is to be played in January 2027.

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After the white-ball leg, both teams will then play two Test matches to conclude New Zealand’s home summer.

NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley reflected on the announcement, saying that the India tour will be one of the most significant home summers.

“It simply does not get bigger than India, and we are determined to deliver New Zealanders a tour like no other,” Critchley said.

“This will be about more than just the cricket on the field – it will be a celebration of New Zealand’s shared history and culture with India, and our burgeoning rivalry and friendship through cricket. The passion and following this team has is staggering – not to mention some of the players expected to tour such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah – so we are bracing for the intensity and fandom that will accompany the tour.”

“Experiencing the noise, colour and atmosphere of an Indian cricket international is a bucket-list event and I would encourage the Kiwi public to take up the opportunity to witness it first-hand,” he concluded.

India tour of New Zealand schedule

T20Is

22 Oct – 1st T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (8pm NZT)
24 Oct – 2nd T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (8pm NZT)
27 Oct – 3rd T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington (8pm NZT)
30 Oct – 4th T20I, Eden Park, Auckland (8pm NZT)
1 Nov – 5th T20I, Seddon Park, Hamilton (8pm NZT)

ODIs

4 Nov – 1st ODI, Eden Park, Auckland (3pm NZT)
7 Nov – 2nd ODI, Sky Stadium, Wellington (3pm NZT)
10 Nov – 3rd ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton (3pm NZT)
13 Nov – 4th ODI, Bay Oval, Tauranga (3pm NZT)
15 Nov – 5th ODI, Bay Oval, Tauranga (3pm NZT)

Test Matches

19–23 Nov – 1st Test, Basin Reserve, Wellington (11am NZT)
27 Nov–1 Dec – 2nd Test, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (11am NZT)

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