Sports

With the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled to begin on February 7, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has made a strategic move by appointing R. Sridhar—former Indian fielding coach—as the national team’s fielding coach until the conclusion of the tournament. Sridhar, who served as India’s fielding coach from 2014 to 2021, was instrumental during Virat Kohli’s captaincy and Ravi Shastri’s tenure as head coach. Earlier this year, he conducted a 10-day specialized fielding camp at Sri Lanka’s National High-Performance Center, showcasing his commitment to enhancing the team’s standards. Official Statement from Sri Lanka CricketSLC said in a release, “Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announces the appointment of R. Sridhar as the fielding coach of the Sri Lanka national team until the conclusion of the ICC M...

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is struggling to find form in the Big Bash League (BBL) while playing for the Sydney Sixers. After scoring just 2 runs on his debut against Perth Scorchers, Babar managed only 9 runs in the Sixers’ second match against Adelaide Strikers. Babar Out After 10 BallsOpening the innings, Babar struck a boundary in the first over. However, on the second ball of the third over, he fell victim to Luke Wood. Attempting a pull shot on a good-length delivery, Babar mistimed it and the ball went straight to mid-wicket, where Matthew Short took a simple catch. Babar faced just 10 balls in the innings. Luke Wood: From IPL Base Price to Big Bash HeroLeft-arm pacer Luke Wood, who represents England internationally, played a key role in Babar’s dismissal. In the IPL ...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its latest T20 rankings, and India’s young stars have made a strong impression. Tilak Varma has climbed into the top-5 in the T20 batting rankings, reflecting his impressive performances in the ongoing series against South Africa. Varma’s brilliant fifty in the second T20I helped India, even in defeat, and his unbeaten innings in the third match further boosted his rating. Previously ranked sixth, he has now jumped two spots to fourth, surpassing Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and England’s Jos Buttler. Earlier this year, Varma had reached second place in the T20 batting rankings. India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to hold the top spot, followed by England’s Phil Salt and Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka. Captain Suryakumar Yadav sits at 10th ...

When Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a staggering ₹25.20 crore in the IPL 2026 auction, the cricket world was left stunned. But behind the record-breaking price lies an inspiring story of a warrior who has been fighting chronic kidney disease (CKD) since childhood. Born with this severe and incurable condition, Green defied all odds. In 2024, while playing for RCB, he revealed that doctors had warned his parents he might not survive beyond 10 years of age. Recalling that traumatic period, Green said his parents felt immense relief when he celebrated his 10th birthday as a healthy child. His mother reportedly wept upon reading his medical reports, realizing that CKD has no permanent cure and the kidneys can never fully recover. Strict Diet a...

The fourth T20 International between India and South Africa will be played today at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, with India leading the five-match series 2-1. Riding high on confidence after a commanding win on a fast pitch in Dharamshala, India aims to seal the series at home, while South Africa faces a must-win situation to stay alive. Pitch Report: Advantage Bowlers?The Lucknow surface is known for its slow nature and assistance to spinners. The black soil track offers low bounce, making it challenging for batsmen to play freely. Scores around 170 are generally considered competitive. Bowlers who rely on spin, cutters, and slower deliveries tend to dominate here. In the nine T20 matches played at Ekana so far, the team batting first has won five times. Average first-innings score: 151, se...

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have finally secured Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL 2026 auction, but the journey to get the left-handed all-rounder has been anything but smooth. RCB had tried to acquire Iyer in the IPL 2025 auction, bidding as high as ₹23.50 crore, but ultimately had to withdraw. At that time, the franchise was also seeking a captain, and cricket experts, including Harsha Bhogle, believed RCB wanted Iyer to lead the team—a factor that drove the bidding war. Eventually, Rajat Patidar was handed the captaincy, and RCB went on to clinch the title. Iyer Joins RCB for IPL 2026In the IPL 2026 auction, RCB again targeted Iyer. This time, he faced competition from KKR, but RCB managed to secure him for ₹7 crore. Iyer, who has played 61 IPL matches, boasts 1,468 runs at an aver...

Adelaide, December 17, 2025: Australia suffered a major pre-match blow in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide as Steve Smith, acting captain in the first two Tests, was ruled out due to illness. In his place, Usman Khawaja, 38 years and 364 days old, was drafted into the team. Australia’s innings began shakily, losing 4 wickets for just 94 runs against an aggressive England bowling attack. Openers Travis Head (10) and Jack Weatherhield (18) fell cheaply, and Marnus Labuschagne added 19 runs before Khawaja joined him at the crease. England’s Jofra Archer then struck twice in quick succession, including dismissing Cameroon Green, who had gone for a record ₹25.20 crore in the IPL 2026 auction the previous day but failed to score in this Test. Veteran Pair Stabilize InningsKhawaja and wicke...

IPL 2026 witnessed Chennai Super Kings shocking everyone by acquiring Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for ₹14.20 crore each, making headlines overnight. However, the history of IPL auctions is filled with players who, like Veer and Sharma, attracted massive bids but failed to meet expectations on the field. Here’s a look at some of these players: Shahrukh Khan:The Tamil Nadu-based finisher was bought by Punjab Kings in 2022 for ₹9 crore after his long six-hitting spells in domestic cricket. While he showed glimpses of power-hitting, inconsistency prevented him from becoming the superstar his price suggested. He was later bought by Gujarat Titans but has not lived up to the hefty tag. Krishnappa Gautam:In the 2021 auction, CSK acquired him for ₹9.25 crore, making him the most expen...

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) went big in the IPL 2026 auction, spending ₹41 crore to acquire nine new players, making them one of the highest spenders. However, despite these additions, five players may struggle to secure a spot in the playing XI this season. Big Buys CSK invested heavily in uncapped players Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, paying ₹14.2 crore each. Other additions include Rahul Chahar, Matt Henry, Akil Hussain, Matthew Short, Jack Foulkes, Sarfaraz Khan, and Aman Khan. Players Likely to Miss Out Rahul Chahar: Bought for ₹5.2 crore, the leg-spinner may struggle for game time as CSK already has superb spinners like Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal. Aman Khan: Primarily a finisher, he faces tough competition from MS Dhoni, Prashant Veer, and Kartik Sharma. Sarfara...

Even after an impressive IPL 2025 season, Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis was released by Punjab Kings. In a dramatic turn at the IPL 2026 auction, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured Inglis for a whopping ₹8.6 crore, despite reports that he may be available for only four matches due to his upcoming wedding. Inglis’ IPL and International Impact Inglis was a standout performer in IPL 2025, delivering explosive batting and playing a key role in helping Punjab Kings reach the final. Known for his striking ability against top bowlers—including Jasprit Bumrah—he boasts a strike rate close to 160 in T20s and has two international T20 centuries to his name. Previously, Inglis had a base price of ₹2.6 crore, but this time the bidding saw fierce competition, including a strong p...