Category: Sports

Abhishek Sharma’s stunning century against England propelled him 38 ranks up the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings to world number two. His blistering 135 off 54 balls at Wankhede Stadium, India’s best individual T20I score and second-fastest T20I century, accelerated his stratospheric rise. Sharma’s series total of 279 runs at 55.80 average and 219.68 strike rate, which included a century and a fifty, cemented his status among the T20I elite.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Travis Head leads, Sharma is only 26 rating points behind. Tilak Varma is third, followed by Suryakumar Yadav in fifth, ensuring a strong Indian presence in the top five. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube both made huge increases.

Varun Chakaravarthy, who was named Player of the Series against England, came close to topping the bowlers’ rankings. His 14 wickets in five matches moved him up three places to second place. Akeal Hosein of the West Indies is the top-ranked player, just two points ahead of Chakravarthy. Ravi Bishnoi surged to sixth.

In Test cricket, Australia’s overwhelming performance against Sri Lanka in Galle resulted in rating increases. Steve Smith’s century moved him up three ranks to fifth among batters, while Usman Khawaja’s 232 pushed him up six slots to eleventh.

For Shivam Dube, winning is a way of life rather than merely a habit! The Mumbai-born dynamic all-rounder has made history by becoming the first player to win 30 straight Twenty20 Internationals. No other cricket player has ever accomplished this.

Dube started playing T20Is in 2019, but his first games weren’t great. In November 2019, he made his debut in a match that India lost to Bangladesh. He suffered two losses in his first five games. But once he got into his flow, he couldn’t turn back.

India’s 5-0 victory over New Zealand in January 2020 marked the beginning of the run. It carried over into India’s successful 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, in which Dube was an integral part of all eight games. His most recent contributions were a fifty and two crucial wickets when he replaced England.

His Chennai Super Kings IPL team commemorated the milestone with a special message that read, “India wins if Dube plays.” Still going strong at 30-0!”

Dube’s influence is evident from his 35 T20Is, which include 531 runs, four fifties, and 13 wickets. Now, the issue is, how long can this amazing run last?

India’s U19 women’s cricket team proved their dominance on the international stage by winning their second consecutive ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. The young cricketers put on a convincing performance, defeating South Africa by nine wickets in the final at Bayuemas Oval. Their overwhelming performance maintained India’s position as the best youth team in women’s cricket.

Batting first, South Africa struggled against India’s disciplined bowling assault. The hosts buckled under pressure, scoring only 82 runs. Every Indian bowler played an important part in keeping tight lines and pushing errors. The crisp fielding effort strengthened India’s grip, leaving no space for a fightback.

Following their tremendous victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his official X account to congratulate the young champions. He commended their teamwork, perseverance, and attitude, calling their victory an encouragement to future sportsmen.

In a post on X, he said: “Immensely proud of our Nari Shakti! Congratulations to the Indian team for emerging victorious in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025. This victory is the result of our excellent teamwork as well as determination and grit. It will inspire several upcoming athletes. My best wishes to the team for their future endeavours.”

On Sunday, Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa won the Tata Steel Masters 2025 in Wijk aan Zee after a gripping final round. He overcame defending World Champion and compatriot D. Gukesh in a dramatic tiebreaker to win his first championship at the renowned event.

Praggnanandhaa needs only a draw against Germany’s Vincent Keymer to win the title. Meanwhile, co-leader Gukesh lost a vital match against Arjun Erigaisi, giving Praggnanandhaa an advantage. However, Keymer surprised him and gave Gukesh a second chance at the crown.

The tiebreaks unfolded in a dramatic fashion. Praggnanandhaa blundered a complete rook in the opening game, giving Gukesh the advantage. In the second game, when he needed to win, he moved to the Trompowsky opening and carefully capitalised on an unforced blunder to equalise the game.

The match went to sudden death, when Praggnanandhaa, although in a weaker position, turned the tables when Gukesh fell under pressure. He took the opportunity, winning the game and clinching the championship.

Thai Dai Van Nguyen won the Challengers section on tiebreaks and will compete in the Masters in 2026.

India sealed the T20 series against England with a 15-run victory in the fourth match on Friday, taking a commanding 3-1 lead after five matches. Harshit Rana, playing his maiden international game after a concussion, replaced Shivam Dube and took three wickets. His presence generated criticism, as concussion substitute regulations normally require a comparable replacement.

Put in to bat first, India battled against Saqib Mahmood, who delivered a brilliant three-wicket maiden over on his debut. Suryakumar Yadav resumed his bad form, leaving for a duck, Tilak Varma stumbled at deep third man, and Sanju Samson mistimed a pull shot.

However, India rebounded because of a key 87-run partnership between Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. Both all-rounders hit equal half-centuries, scoring 53 each. Despite losing three wickets in the final over, India scored a challenging 181-9.

England started strongly, scoring 62-1 on the powerplay. Phil Salt (23) and Ben Duckett (39) spearheaded the attack, but India’s spinners turned the game around. Ravi Bishnoi took 3 for 28, including Duckett and Jos Buttler. Varun Chakravarthy struck late, taking off Harry Brook (51) and Brydon Carse in the same over.

The last T20I will occur in Mumbai on Sunday, followed by a three-match ODI series.

The sliding centre for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics is still on pace for completion, with track icing set to begin in February, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Despite tight timelines, organisers are hopeful that the site will be ready for the Games, which begin on February 6, 2026.

Construction of the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton venue has been hampered as Italy decided to build a new facility rather than use an existing sliding centre in a bordering nation. The IOC had previously expressed concerns, claiming that repurposing an existing track would have saved money and cut preparation time.

Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi has indicated that the venue’s pre-homologation phase will be completed by March. This stage will allow the international bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge federations to assess the course, conduct testing, and make recommendations before official test events begin.

Although the project is still on track, the organisers have acquired a backup destination, Lake Placid in the United States. Dubi stated that the IOC approved the necessity for a Plan B but did not specify a place.

Meanwhile, planners are hurrying to finish Arena Santa Giulia, which will hold ice hockey.

Steven Smith has made cricket history by being the fifth-fastest batter to reach 10,000 Test runs. The historic moment occurred during the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle. Smith, who began the series with 9999 Test runs, required only one run to attain the milestone.

The moment came just before lunch on Day 1, when he pushed a delivery from Prabath Jayasuriya to long-on for a single. As the audience and his teammates praised his feat, he raised his bat to acknowledge them.

Smith had a lucky break early in his innings, as he was dropped on the third ball. However, he took advantage of the occasion and stayed unbeaten at lunch. Travis Head, his colleague, started the innings aggressively, adjusting to his new role as an opener in Asian conditions.

Smith attained the milestone after 205 innings, trailing only Ricky Ponting (196) among Australians. Globally, only Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, and Brian Lara (195 innings) were faster.

Smith had previously been dismissed twice in the 9990s, heightening the drama of his quest for 10,000 runs. However, this time in Galle, he made no mistakes and even scored a fast fifty after lunch.

Trisha Gongadi became the first woman to get a century in the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup. She scored a century off only 53 balls in a Super Six match against Scotland on Tuesday. Her spectacular innings not only helped India win the match, but she also became the tournament’s first player to achieve a century.

Scotland won the toss and chose to field first, seeking to restrict India’s batting order. However, openers Trisha Gongadi and Kamalini G took a more aggressive approach, launching a flurry of boundaries. By the end of the PowerPlay, India had raced to 67-0, establishing a solid foundation.

At the midway point, India stood on 104 without losing a wicket. Gongadi, in top form, maintained her onslaught, forging an important partnership with Sanika Chalke. The Indian openers broke records by putting together an astounding 147-run stand, the greatest partnership in this edition of the competition.

India eventually posted a massive total of 208-1, leaving Scotland with a steep chase. Gongadi’s extraordinary performance will be recognised as a watershed moment in Women’s U-19 cricket, setting new standards for young cricketers worldwide.

Smriti Mandhana, India’s top opener, received the prestigious ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 title in recognition of her outstanding year-long play. The left-handed batter, who is renowned for her grace and reliability, established herself as one of the best players in women’s cricket with her outstanding performance in the 50-over format.

The ICC claims that Mandhana stood out due to her capacity to perform well under pressure and against elite teams. She amassed 747 runs in 13 innings in 2024, averaging a remarkable 57.46 and keeping her strike rate at 95.15. Her supremacy with the bat was demonstrated by the four hundreds and three half-centuries she scored during her innings.

Mandhana defeated South Africa in a series to start the year with back-to-back hundreds. She scored another game-winning century in the series finale against New Zealand in October. In December, she put on her best show against Australia, scoring 105 runs against one of the best bowling assaults in the game. She received congratulations from the BCCI for her outstanding accomplishments. The BCCI posted, “Keep soaring high, Smriti,” on social media.

Mandhana’s run as the ICC Women’s Championship’s top scorer secured India’s spot in the 2025 World Cup.

After a stellar performance in the red-ball format, Jasprit Bumrah, the fast-bowling sensation from India, was named the 2024 ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. Following his recovery from a back injury in late 2023, the 31-year-old pace ace took 71 wickets in 13 Test matches, his best-ever season total.

With 19 more wickets than England’s Gus Atkinson, who took 52 from 11 games, Bumrah ended first on the wicket-taking chart. Bumrah’s effort was noteworthy even if India lost to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Throughout the five-match series, he claimed 32 wickets at an incredible average of 13.06. At just 30.1, his strike rate for the year was equally excellent.

Bumrah’s domination was highlighted by the ICC, which observed that his average of 14.92 was the lowest among bowlers who claimed 70 or more wickets in a calendar year. He won the coveted prize by defeating Joe Root and Harry Brook of England and Kamindu Mendis of Sri Lanka.

Bumrah conveyed his appreciation, stating that the honour was a result of his efforts and the unwavering support of his teammates, coaches, and supporters. “Representing India is a privilege,” he continued.