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India and Pakistan are set to square off once again in the renamed ‘Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship’, formerly known as the Emerging Asia Cup. 

According to Cricbuzz, the Emerging Asia Cup has been rebranded, which is set to begin on November 14 in Doha, Qatar.

With another Asia Cup championship looming, it remains uncertain whether the event will spark another controversy.

The recently concluded Asia Cup was marred by several controversies, starting with the handshake saga between India and Pakistan, which ended with a trophyless celebration for India after the final.

The dispute over the trophy still continues as Team India is yet to receive the silverware. This situation arose from political tensions between India and Pakistan after the escalation in May over the Pahalgam attack.

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Nonetheless, the tournament will feature eight teams: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman, the UAE, and Hong Kong. The 15-match event will be played in T20 format.

Besides India and Pakistan, the group also includes Oman and the UAE. The other group comprises Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.

However, the only difference from the Asia Cup 2025 is that there won’t be a Super Four round. The top two teams from each group will move into the semifinals, and the final will be played on November 23.

Afghanistan are the winners of the previous edition as they had outplayed Sri Lanka A in the final. The last edition was played at Al-Nahda Stadium in Oman in October 2024.

Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship Teams

Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka

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NAVI MUMBAI: Australia have won the toss and opted to bat first against India in the second semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup here on Thursday.

Head to Head

Both teams have faced each other 61 times in ODIs, with Australia winning 49 matches while India has only managed to win 11 games.

Playing XIs

India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Renuka Singh.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth, Alana King, Megan Schutt

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Persistent rain forced the opening Twenty20 clash between Australia and India to be abandoned on Wednesday, leaving Suryakumar Yadav stranded on 39 and Shubman Gill on 37.

After being sent in on a chilly Canberra night, the visitors raced to 97-1 off 9.4 overs before being forced off for a second time by the weather with no more play possible.

India got off to a solid start with their newest T20 sensation, Abhishek Sharma, signalling his intent immediately, advancing down the wicket to Josh Hazlewood on his first ball.

He clobbered four boundaries in a quick-fire 19, but the gung-ho innings came to an end against Nathan Ellis, deceived by a slower ball and caught by Tim David at mid-off.

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Skipper Yadav slammed a giant six off Hazlewood before they were forced off by drizzle on 43-1 from five overs.

When they returned after 45 minutes and with the game reduced to 18 overs, the runs began flowing for Yadav and Gill as they upped the ante.

But the rain came back and they went off again, having reached 97-1, and that proved the end of the match.

The second game is at a sold-out Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

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Australia’s explosive opening batter, Travis Head, has sent a strong message to India ahead of their five-match T20I series, stating that they can score any total.

The series between two power-packed sides will begin tomorrow at the Manuka Oval. Mitchell Marsh will captain the Australia side while Suryakumar Yadav will lead India.

Speaking to Cricket Australia on the eve of the opening match, Head named the big power hitters in the lineup and stressed an aggressive approach.

“When you’ve got the power that we’ve got behind us, you’ve got to get a move on,” the left-hander remarked.

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“You don’t want to be chewing up balls at the start when you’ve got guys like Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, and Glenn Maxwell behind you. It’s huge power,” he continued.

Travis Head expressed confidence in scoring above par totals and to go all out from the onset as per the modern-day cricket demands.

“We can score anything if we get going,” Head said. “For Mitch (Marsh) and me, the plan is to make the most of the Powerplay. It’s been a strength of ours in both ODIs and T20s. We try not to be reckless, but sometimes it might look that way. The goal is to get as many runs as possible early on.”

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Former ICC match referee Chris Broad has claimed that he was instructed to ”be lenient’ in order to avoid India an over-rate fine at one point during his time as a match official.

Former ICC match referee Chris Broad disclosed that he was instructed to “be lenient” in order to prevent India from incurring an over-rate fine during his time in office.

While speaking to ‘The Telegraph’, Broad did not specify when the incident occurred; however, he described the scene, stating that during one match, India were slow with their overs, so the team was supposed to be fined.

“India were three, four overs down at the end of a game, so it constituted a fine,” he said.

“I got a phone call saying, ‘be lenient, find some time because it’s India’. And it’s like, right, OK. So we had to find some time, brought it down below the threshold.”

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“The very next game, exactly the same thing happened. He [Sourav Ganguly] didn’t listen to any of the hurry-ups and so I phoned and said, ‘what do you want me to do now?’ and I was told ‘just do him’,” he revealed.

The 68-year-old further said that he wanted to continue in the role; however, his contract was not renewed.

“I was very happy to carry on,” Broad remarked. “But for 20 years, I dodged a lot of bullets, both politically and physically. I look back and I think, ‘you know, 20 years is quite a long time to be doing that job’.”

He also discussed the Indian influence and financial aspects involved in the game while operating within a political environment.

“I think we were supported by Vince van der Bijl (ICC umpires manager) while he was in position because he came from a cricketing background, but once he left, the management became a lot weaker. India got all the money and have now taken over the ICC so in many ways,” he claimed.

“I’m pleased I’m not around because it’s a much more political position now than it ever has been.,” Chris Broad concluded.

Overall, Chris Broad remained in the role from 2003 until February 2024. During his 20 years, he oversaw 123 Test matches, 361 ODIs, and 138 T20Is.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided an update on the right-handed batter Shreyas Iyer, who sustained a severe injury during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney.

The country’s cricket board said on Monday that Iyer is currently hospitalised, undergoing treatment for a lacerated spleen.

This injury was sustained during an intense moment in the third ODI, where India triumphed by nine wickets.

Iyer experienced a powerful impact on his left lower rib cage as he executed a breathtaking backpedalling catch to dismiss Alex Carey.

Despite the victory, India lost the series 1-2 after suffering defeats in the first two games in Perth and Adelaide.

Iyer, who is also the vice-captain of the ODI team, was forced off the field after the injury and did not return for the rest of Australia’s innings.

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“Shreyas Iyer sustained an impact injury to his left lower rib cage region while fielding during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney on 25th October 2025. He was taken to the hospital for further evaluation,” the BCCI said in a statement.

“Scans have revealed a laceration injury to the spleen. He is under treatment, medically stable, and recovering well.

“The BCCI Medical Team, in consultation with specialists in Sydney and India, is closely monitoring his injury status. The Indian Team Doctor will remain in Sydney with Shreyas to evaluate his day-to-day progress.”

He remains hospitalised in Sydney, where the BCCI medical team is closely monitoring him in consultation with specialists from Australia and India, the statement added.

It was not clear when Iyer could return to action. A five-match T20 series between the two cricketing powerhouses begins on October 29, but Iyer is not a part of that squad.

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South Africa captain Temba Bavuma is set to return to action next month after being named in the squad for two World Test Championship (WTC) matches in India, having recovered from injury.

Bavuma, who led South Africa to victory in the championship final against Australia in London in June, missed the country’s recent series in Pakistan because he was having treatment for a calf strain.

South Africa were captained by Aiden Markram when they started their defence of their title by sharing the two-match series in Pakistan.

Bavuma has captained South Africa in ten Tests, winning nine and drawing one.

The squad announced by Cricket South Africa (CSA) includes the bulk of the players who were in Pakistan.

Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen missed out despite playing in the first Test in the absence of Keshav Maharaj, who was recovering from injury.

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Durham batsman David Bedingham, who toured Pakistan but did not play in the Tests, made way for Bavuma.

The 15-man squad includes three front-line spinners in Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy, who took a combined 33 wickets in Pakistan.

Coach Shukri Conrad said the players had shown “real character” in sharing the honours in Pakistan after losing the first Test. South Africa lost the toss in both matches and had to bat second in spin-friendly conditions.

“We are expecting a similar challenge in India and many of the players who stood up for us in those conditions will again be key for us,” said Conrad.

“Pakistan was a squad effort, and India will demand the same. Every player has a role to play in ensuring we remain competitive in what is always a tough place to tour.”

South Africa Test squad

Temba Bavuma (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wkt)

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SYDNEY: Veteran duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rolled back the years with a vintage partnership as India cruised to a comprehensive victory over Australia in the third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Chasing a modest target of 237, the visitors made light work of the pursuit, reaching 238-1 with 69 balls to spare in front of a packed SCG crowd.

Notably, Australia won the series 2-1, having won the first two games of the three-match series at Adelaide and Perth.

Rohit struck a magnificent unbeaten 121 off 125 balls, laced with 13 boundaries and three sixes, while Kohli provided steady support with a fluent 74 not out off 81 deliveries.

India got off to a strong start as Rohit and skipper Shubman Gill added 69 runs for the opening wicket before Josh Hazlewood dismissed Gill for 24.

From there, it was all about India’s two modern-day greats, who batted with authority and ease against an Australian attack that struggled for answers.

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Rohit reached his 33rd ODI century, timing the ball beautifully and barely offering a chance, while Kohli’s elegant strokeplay ensured there were no further hiccups as India wrapped up the win comfortably.

Earlier, Australia’s innings imploded after a steady start. From a promising 183/3, the hosts collapsed to 236 all out, losing their final seven wickets for just 53 runs.

Harshit Rana was the chief destroyer with 4-39, while Matt Renshaw top-scored with a patient 56.

Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh had earlier given Australia a brisk start before the Indian spinners applied the brakes. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar claimed two wickets apiece, triggering the middle-order collapse.

Renshaw fought hard to register his maiden ODI fifty but ran out of partners as India turned the screws. Cooper Connolly chipped in with 23 late on, but it was too little too late.

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Australia have tweaked its squads ahead of the final One Day International (ODI) and T20I series against India, with star batter Glenn Maxwell returning to the shorter format after recovering from a wrist injury.

Among the notable inclusions, all-rounder Jack Edwards has earned his maiden call-up to the national side for the final ODI in Sydney, as the home side eyes a clean sweep over India.

Besides Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis is also named in the T20I squad, whereas emerging pacer Mahli Beardman is also drafted in for the five-match series.

Maxwell, who suffered a wrist injury while bowling in the nets before New Zealand T20Is last month, is set to feature in the final three matches of the T20I series.

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The changes were confirmed by Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday, with an eye on Ashes preparations.

From the ODI squad, Marnus Labuschagne has been released to play Domestic cricket. Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott will also miss the final matches of the T20I series to play in the Sheffield Shield.

Hazlewood will take part in just the first two T20I matches, while Abbott, currently recovering from a split webbing injury in his hand, will exit the squad after the third T20I hosted in Hobart.

The first T20I between both sides will begin on October 29 at Manuka Oval, Canberra.

Australia ODI squad for the third ODI vs India

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Australia T20I squad vs India

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott (first three matches only), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman (last three matches only), Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis (last two matches only), Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood (first two matches only), Glenn Maxwell (last three matches only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

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NAVI MUMBAI: Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal’s sparkling centuries powered India to a comfortable win over New Zealand, sealing a semi-final spot for the hosts in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.

After India’s win here at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy on Thursday, New Zealand and Sri Lanka were eliminated from the mega-event.

Set 325 in 44 overs as per DLS method in a rain-affected encounter, the White Ferns could only manage 271-8.

After losing Suzie Bates in the second over, Brooke Halliday and Georgia Plimmer
added a 50-run stand for the second wicket.

Plimmer made 30 from 25 balls, striking five fours, while Amelia Kerr scored 45 from 53 deliveries with the aid of four boundaries.

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However, India made a roaring comeback, removing set Plimmer and Sophie Devine in quick succession. As a result, New Zealand slumped to 59-3 in 11.3 overs.

Despite brief partnerships in the middle-order, New Zealand were unable to chase the target due to the mounting required run rate.

Brooke Halliday fought hard with her valiant 81 from 84 balls; however, it was not enough to take her side home.

For India, Renuka Singh and Kranti Gaud scalped two wickets each.

Earlier, after being put into bat, India piled up 340-3 in 49 overs, courtesy of Pratika Rawal’s and Smriti Mandhana’s imperious opening stand.

The duo added 212 for the opening wicket, which threw New Zealand out of the game. Mandhana 109 from 95 balls was laced with 10 fours and four sixes, while Rawal 122 from 134 deliveries included 13 fours and two sixes.

Jemimah Rodrigues was the other notable contributor, making 76 off just 55, which helped India finish strong at the back end of the innings.

For India, Amelia Kerr, Suzie Bates, and Rosemary Mair picked up one wicket each.

Playing XIs

India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani

New Zealand XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson, Lea Tahuhu

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