Internationalcricketupdates

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has taken a dig at England after the side's exit from the Champions Trophy, following their disappointing loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday. Chasing a massive target of 326 runs, England were bowled out for 317 with one ball to spare in Lahore. Ibrahim Zadran , who scored 177, lifted Afghanistan from a precarious 37-3 to a winning total as he put on key stands including 103 runs with Shahidi, who made 40. Zadran's knock was the highest-ever individual score registered by a batter in the history of Champions Trophy. After England's elimination, Gavaskar took a brutal jibe at England, saying that the Jos Buttler -led side has the tendency to play the blame game, instead of focusing on how to improve their performances. England were whitewashed by India in a three-match ODI series. Gavaskar even suggested that England might also put the blame of their exit of India playing their matches in Dubai. "They will still come and start moani...

Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith lavished praise on his disciplined bowlers after the team secured a semi-final spot in the ongoing Champions Trophy following a rain-abandoned match against Afghanistan on Friday. Australia was in control at 109/1 in 12.5 overs, chasing 274, when a downpour left the field waterlogged. Following a two-hour delay, the match was called off, ensuring Australia's qualification with four points. "That's what we were after in the start, to finish in the top two and qualify for the semis. I thought the guys did a good job, made good changes and took wickets in the middle. Did well to restrict them to 270 and we were in a good position," said Smith in the post-match interaction with the broadcaster. Australia leaked 37 runs in extras including 17 in wides but Smith backed the bowling unit. "There were a few (extras) today, and Spencer (Johnson) was getting it to swing too much. Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper) was happy when that s...

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has shared his views on the resumption of cricket bilateral ties between India and Pakistan. The two teams last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 when Pakistan had visited India for a white-ball series. Due to politicial differences between the two nation, India vs Pakistan encounters are restricted to global and continental events. Last week, India beat Pakistan by 6 wickets to enter the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy. During a recent interaction, Gavaskar suggested that the cricket bilaterals between India and Pakistan can only resume if the governments of both countries ensure that there is peace at the borders. "By frankly having peace at the borders... (How can India and Pakistan play a bilateral series?) It's very simple. If there's peace at the borders, then I think both governments will certainly say, 'Look, okay, we've had no incidents, nothing at all. So let's at least start talking'," Gavaskar said on ...

Afghanistan continued their meteoric rise in the world of cricket as they beat 2019 World Cup winners England in their second Group B game of Champions Trophy 2025. With the match being a virtual knockout game, Afghanistan defeated England by eight runs in a thriller. This was Afghanistan's second successive win over England in a 50-over ICC tournament, having beaten them in the 2023 World Cup as well. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan then won hearts by doing his signature dance steps to celebrate Afghanistan's win. Taking to social media, Irfan Pathan posted a video of him dancing to the tunes of Bollywood song 'Afghan Jalebi'. "Another ICC win against England from Afghanistan. Well done!" is how Pathan captioned his Instagram post. The dance has become somewhat of a custom in recent years, with Pathan having done the same in 2023 when Afghanistan beat England in the World Cup. View this post on Instagram A ...

Ibrahim Zadran's majestic 177 and pacer Azmatullah Omarzai's fifer trumped Joe Root's masterful hundred, as the brave Afghanistan registered a thrilling 8-run win to knock a largely-insipid England out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday. England are winless after two matches and in their last league match in Group B they will face South Africa, who already have three points along with Australia. Afghanistan now have two points and will have to beat the Aussies in their final group match to entertain the hopes of reaching the last eight. For a long time, England's chase merely rattled along as the dismissal of Phil Salt and Jamie Smith jolted them early. They were 30 for two then, and eventually ended up at 317 all out with a ball to spare as pacer Omarzai (5/58) struck at crucial junctures. But Root (120, 111b, 11x4, 1x6) brought stability to England's innings through two alliances, adding 68 runs with Ben Duckett (38), who was dropped on 29, for the third wicket...

England captain Jos Buttler says he and his teammates are saddened by the plight of women in Afghanistan but have decided to play the side from the Taliban-ruled country as sport offers hope in tough times. The Taliban took over the reins of Afghanistan in 2021 and banned women's sports besides restricting their access to education and work. Last month, a group of British lawmakers had urged the England cricket team to boycott the Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan as a sign of protest against the treatment meted out to women in the country. On the eve of the game, Buttler was asked what made him and his team comfortable to go ahead with the game. "I'm taking a lot of advice from lots of experts. I think credit must go to Rob Key and the ECB – they've been very, very good at supporting me and all the players and giving us information and education around this and making it an ECB decision," said Buttler. "We're very saddened by the plight of ...

New Zealand's victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group A match on Monday proved to be the final nail in the coffin for hosts Pakistan. After defeats against New Zealand and India in their first two matches, Pakistan's campaign was on the brink. As the Kiwis outscored the Bangla Tigers in Rawalpindi, Pakistan's elimination was confirmed. Courtesy of their early exit from the tournament, Mohammad Rizwan's men went on to register a few embarrassing records to their name. It was the first occasion since 2009 that saw the host nation failing to make it out of the group stages of the Champions Trophy. In the 2009 campaign, South Africa failed to qualify for the knockouts after winning just one and losing 2 matches in the group stage of the tournament. Already out of the semi-finals race, Pakistan became only the 4th team to enter the Champions Trophy as defending champions and exit in the group stages. In the 2004 edition of the tournament, India and S...

Giving a peek into his mindset when faced with high-pressure situations, India batter Shreyas Iyer has said that he likes to be aggressive to "steady the ship", something that he demonstrated quite well in the Champions Trophy win over arch-foes Pakistan after making a sedate start. Iyer's 56 off 67 was the perfect supporting act to Virat Kohli's unbeaten 100 as India chased a 242-run target with more than seven overs to spare on Sunday night. The win has pushed Pakistan to the brink of elimination and taken India within touching distance of a semifinal berth. "I love to take on the bowlers when we are under pressure. And that is my mindset. If we take charge, if we gain the momentum towards us, then it is easy to steady the ship," Iyer said in the post-match press conference. "And from there on, the rest of the batsmen, when they come in, it becomes easy for them." He expected India to take way less than the 42.3 overs that the side consumed for...

The 'King' Virat Kohli's played yet another masterful performance as India all but knocked out Pakistan from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday. Kohli's unbeaten century saw social media erupt in celebration of yet another clutch performance by the Indian batting maestro against Pakistan, at Dubai International Stadium on Sunda. India had come into the game as favourites to win this game, and justified that billing through an impressive bowling performance to bundle out Pakistan for 241 in 49.4 overs. As fans rejoiced Virat's brilliant show with the bat in Dubai, his wife Anushka Sharma also shared a beautiful reaction on social media. Anushka's reaction comes amid times where Virat has been facing a lot of criticism over his barren run of form. While the recent outings in Test cricket didn't go as planned for Kohli, the chase-master proved yet again that there's no better batter in the world than him when it comes to the 50-over format, especially...

Captain Mohammad Rizwan conceded that Pakistan made many mistakes in a six-wicket defeat against their arch-rival India in the high-stakes Champions Trophy clash on Sunday in Dubai. Pakistan needed a win against a formidable India side to keep their fate in the Champions Trophy in their hands. However, things fell apart for Pakistan even though the toss went their way. A sluggish display with the bat and an uninspired bowling display jeopardised their title defence. On the other hand, India's spinners kept Pakistan's top stars confined while Virat Kohli dictated the terms of the chase with his unbeaten 51st ODI century. After falling short against their bitter rival, Rizwan didn't mince his words while summing up Pakistan's performance against India. "We won the toss, but we didn't get the benefit of the toss. Their (India) bowlers bowled very well. And Saud Shakeel, I wanted to take it deep. Poor shot selection. They put us under pressure. Whenever you lose, ...

Virat Kohli showcased his penchant to lord over Pakistan in ICC tournaments once more as the batting icon's glittering unbeaten 100 helped India claim an authoritative six-wicket win over their traditional rivals and all but seal a semifinal spot in the Champions Trophy here on Sunday. The victory should be enough for India, who are now on top of Group A with four points, to make the last four. However, Pakistan are staring at early elimination from the eight-team event after their second successive loss. Chasing a tricky 242, India rode on Kohli's 51st ODI ton, Shreyas Iyer's classy 67-ball 56 and Shubman Gill's brilliant start of 46 off 52 balls to overhaul the target with more than seven overs to spare. Kohli rebelled against his own modest recent form and a dangerous opposition to peel off a memorable knock that took 111 balls and was punctuated with seven fours. Pakistan, on the other hand, are on their way out of the tournament of which they are the hosts. Onc...

Left red-faced after India's national anthem played for a fraction of a second at the start of the Australia-England Champions Trophy match on Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board has blamed the ICC for the fiasco and demanded an explanation from the world body. At the start of the game when the two teams lined up for their national anthems, the spectators were left surprised as the Indian national anthem played for a second before being stopped. A source close to the ICC confirmed that the PCB had sent a letter to the governing body outlining the incident and demanding an explanation. "The PCB has made it clear that the ICC needs to offer some explanation as their people are responsible for the (national anthem) playlist of teams in the Champions Trophy. "Since India is not playing in Pakistan, it is hard to understand how their anthem was played by mistake from the playlist," the source said. In the match between England and Australia at Gaddafi Stadium in Laho...

Pakistan crashed to a 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their opening game of Champions Trophy 2025. Chasing a stiff target of 321, Pakistan were never really in the hunt, following a poor start that saw them manage only 22 in their first 10 overs. Pakistan stalwart Babar Azam could not fire, and was particularly criticised for his slow strike rate. India batter Cheteshwar Pujara pinpointed exactly why Babar failed to score big, and criticised his approach during the run chase. Pujara dissected exactly where Babar went wrong during the run chase. "There was no intent. Babar's footwork against the spinner was not good. He was not using his feet. He was not reaching for the ball. He was waiting for the ball to come to him," Pujara said, speaking on the post-match show of ' Sports Central '. Babar took as many as 81 balls to notch up his half-century, and scored only 64 off 90 balls by the end. Pujara stated that Babar did not bat as freely as he could'v...

Josh Inglis played the innings of his life, smashing his maiden ODI century (120 not out) to overshadow Ben Duckett's masterclass 165, as world champions Australia pulled off a record chase to beat England by five wickets in their Champions Trophy Group B opener in Lahore on Saturday. The five-wicket win marked the highest-ever chase by any team at an ICC white-ball tournament, the previous best being Pakistan's 345 against Sri Lanka at the 2023 men's World Cup. Duckett's career-best knock from 143 balls that had 17 boundaries and three sixes had propelled England to 351/8 -- the highest total of the Champions Trophy, surpassing New Zealand's 347/4 against USA way back in 2004. But on a flat Gaddafi Stadium pitch with a lightning-quick outfield, no target was safe as two-time champions Australia cruised home in 47.3 overs. Inglis tore into England's attack, hammering six sixes and eight fours in an 86-ball 120 not out. His match-winning 146-run fifth-wicket st...

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Amanjot Kaur steered Mumbai Indians to a thrilling four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a Women's Premier League match in Bengaluru on Friday. Ellyse Perry struck a fine half-century to guide RCB to a competitive 167 for seven after being sent in to bat. Perry made 81 off just 43 balls with the help of 11 fours and two sixes to lift RCB after they were stuttering at 57 for 4 at one time. Richa Ghosh (28 off 25) and skipper Smriti Mandhana (26 off 13 balls) also chipped in for RCB. Medium pacer Amanjot was the most successful bowler for MI with figures of 3/22. Chasing a competitive total, MI's Harmanpreet (50 off 38 balls, 8x4s, 1x6)), Nat Sciver-Brunt (42 off 21; 9x4s) and Amanjot (34 off 27; 2x4s, 2x6s) made useful contributions to guide the team home with just one ball remaining. MI lost Yastika Bhatia early but Hayley Matthews and Sciver-Brunt shared 55 runs for the second wicket to take the 2023 WPL champions' chase forwar...

A funny interaction between cricket presenter Sanjana Ganesan and Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz is going viral on social media. During the chat, the duo talked about India's right-arm pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who is also the husband of Sanjana.  "He is very different bowler and very dangerous," said Mehidy in the video. To this, the presenter replied, "He is not coming here." Then Mehidy said, "Yeah, I know. We are very happy." The Bangladesh star then asked about how Bumrah was doing. "He is okay. He is training at the NCA," said Sanjana. Notably, Bumrah is not a part of India's squad for the ongoing Champions Trophy due to a back injury he suffered during the fifth and final Test in Australia in January this year. That OOF for bumrah . pic.twitter.com/CLg7jlTyQD — onlyy rndom thngss (@sahilmemon23) February 19, 2025 India talisman pacer Bumrah had recently shared a picture of him hitting the gym after being ruled out of the ICC...

The first round of matches in Group A of the Champions Trophy 2025 are over. After New Zealand's comprehensive win over Pakistan in Karachi on Wednesday, India overcame a gritty Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday. Currently, New Zealand lead the table (2 points, NRR +1.200) followed by India (2 points, NRR +0.408). Bangladesh are third in the table from Group A (0 points, NRR -0.408) while Pakistan are fourth (0 points, NRR - 1.200).  India's next round of matches are on February 23 (vs Pakistan) and March 2 (vs New Zealand). Apart from the India fixture, Pakistan face Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi. For New Zealand, apart from the India clash, the other match is against Bangladesh on February 24.  The equation is simple for India and New Zealand. If they win their next matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively, they will be through to the semi-finals. Even if they lose the next match, they will still have a chance to enter the semi-finals by winning the l...

Ahead of the campaign opener against Bangladesh, star India batter Virat Kohli opened up on why he likes the ICC Champions Trophy as a competition and in what ways it is similar to the T20 World Cup, which India won last year. The biggest match of the Champions Trophy between two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, will be played on February 23. India will start its campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 and their last league match will be against New Zealand on March 2. Speaking to Star Sports, Virat said, "First of all, it has been a long time we have played the Champions Trophy. Honestly, I have always liked this tournament a lot. Because, it is a representation of how consistently you play cricket for a year or two. When you are in the top eight rankings, then you get this reward for playing this tournament. So, a level of competition is always good in this. And I remember, this has always been a very competitive tournament." "And the last time we played an openi...

Out-of-favour Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali has accused his country's cricket board of favouritism. Speaking in a recent interaction, Hasan questioned the PCB for sending star batter Saim Ayub for treatment in London, while adding why other players don't get the same privilege. Hasan also recalled the time when he suffered multiple injuries and was out of cricket for lengthy period, revealing that the PCB did not come to his aide at that time. Saim has been out of action since the tour of South Africa last month, and will take no part in the upcoming Champions Trophy. He suffered a right ankle fracture and is currently in London for rehabiliation. "Saim Ayub is injured. He is the player of your team. Wasn't I a member of the team in 2020? If another player gets injured, won't he be a member of the team? Does he play for India?" Hasan said on ' Ultra Edge ' podcast. Hasan, however, hoped to see Saim back in action soon, but suggested that if he gets injur...

All-rounder Nat Sciver -Brunt starred in both departments as Mumbai Indians produced a clinical performance to return to winning ways with a five-wicket victory over a self-destructive Gujarat Giants in their Women's Premier League match on Tuesday. Sciver-Brunt smashed a 39-ball 57, her second consecutive half-century, after taking two wickets for 26, as MI first bowled out GG for a modest 120 and then chased down the target, scoring 122 for 5 with 3.5 overs to spare. Invited to bat, Gujarat paid the price for their over-aggression, with MI's bowlers, led by off-spinner Hayley Matthews, delivering a tight performance. Shabnim Ismail (1/17), Amelia Kerr (2/22), and Amanjot Kaur (1/17) also played key roles in restricting Gujarat's batting. In response, Sciver-Brunt dazzled with a flurry of boundaries, playing cut, pull, sweep, and scoop shots with ease. She hit 11 fours during her innings and was dismissed in the 16th over with just seven runs required to win. Chasing 12...

Former captain Dilip Vengsarkar has picked India, last edition's finalists, as a "strong favourite" for the Champions Trophy, which will begin on Wednesday in Karachi. After falling short against arch-rival Pakistan in 2017, India will once again begin its pursuit of the ICC Champions Trophy on Thursday against Bangladesh in Dubai. With a spin-laden attack, India will look to turn the tides in Dubai and lift the trophy for the first time since 2013. India has been a firm favourite for many former cricketers and fans. Vengsarkar, too, believes India is a strong contender to challenge for the coveted trophy. "India is a strong favourite, and I think they will do well," Vengsarkar told reporters in Varanasi. While plenty of mouth-watering clashes are on the cards, the blockbuster encounter between the two rivals, India and Pakistan, breeds a different level of anticipation and expectations. Vengsarkar expects a competitive clash but remains hopeful that India wi...

The Vicky Kaushal-starrer movie 'Chhaava', based on the life and times of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj - the second ruler of the Maratha Confederacy and son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has received positive response from audience across the country. Apart from Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Rashmika Mandanna (as Yesubai Bhonsale), Akshaye Khanna (as Aurangzeb), Ashutosh Rana (as Hambirrao Mohite), Diana Penty (as Zinat-un-Nissa Begum) and Divya Dutta (as Soyarabai) play prominent roles in the movie.   Former India cricket team star Aakash Chopra also liked the movie. He, however, raised some questions after watching the film.  "Watched Chhaava today. Incredible tale of bravery, selflessness and the sense of duty.  Genuine question—why were we not taught about Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at all in school? Not even a mention anywhere!!!  We did learn though how Akbar was a great and fair emperor, and even have a very prominent road called Auran...

Smriti Mandhana smashed a blistering 47-ball 81 to power reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a resounding eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League in Vadodara on Monday. RCB bowlers, led by Renuka Singh (3/23) and Georgia Wareham (3/25), produced a disciplined performance to bowl out Delhi for 141 in 19.3 overs. RCB's opening duo of Smriti and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (42 from 33 balls; 7x4) made the target look effortless, forging a commanding 107-run partnership in just 55 balls before Richa Ghosh (11 not out from 5 balls) sealed the chase with a six in 16.2 overs. The Indian vice-captain Smriti smashed 10 fours and three sixes, dominating the bowlers with her signature sweeps, inside-out drives, and a towering pull over deep mid-wicket off Marizanne Kapp . She reached her fastest fifty of the tournament in just 27 balls, setting the tone for RCB's clinical chase. Danni provided solid support, striking seven boundaries, keeping ...

One of the most promising young cricketers in the game, Yashasvi Jaiswal has rapidly grown into an all-format player for the Indian team. The left-handed opening batter made his ODI debut for India in the recently-concluded 3-match series against Englan. Though Jaiswal only played one game in the series, he is widely seen as one of the future cricketing superstars for the nation. Jaiswal was also selected for India's preliminary Champions Trophy squad but was later removed as the selectors wanted to make space for spinner Varun Chakravarthy's inclusion.  Despite the drama-filled recent weeks, Jaiswal's coach Jwala Singh has high hopes for the exciting batting talent that the southpaw is. In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Yashasvi's coach opened up on his ward's rapid rise on the international stage, his exclusion from the Champions Trophy and also his leadership skills, which have made him a leadership candidate for the future. It was only in 2023 that Yashasvi Jai...