Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith said that the team is yet to decide on their final playing XI for the fifth Test match of the ongoing Ashes series. The Aussies will enter the clash, having reclaimed the title, as they have a lead by 3-1. On the other hand, the Ben Stokes-led England announced their 12-man squad, in which they have named Shoaib Bashir for the SCG Test. Smith said that Australia will announce its final playing XI only after getting a proper assessment of the Sydney pitch. Speaking about it, he said, "Nah, haven't had a chance to look at the wicket this morning, so all options are on the table currently. Yeah, obviously hasn't had a great deal of sunlight, so yeah, need to check it out, see what it looks like. It still looked pretty green yesterday, so yeah, we need another look at it". "Could play a couple of all-rounders. Could play a spinner. Could play no spinner. We'll figure it out once we see the surface and see which way we want to go about it," he added. Further speaking, Australia's stand-in captain also said that the management will look at how they can match up the players. "No-one's locked in yet. As I said before, we haven't picked a team. There's 13 or 14 guys on the table and we want to see that we can see how we match up against that," Smith said. He then said that the loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was disappointing, and is also hopeful of yielding good results in the upcoming clash. "It was disappointing last week to go down. We were outplayed at the back end of that game. So yeah, hopefully we can turn it around here, win this series 4-1, and now more importantly, I suppose, just win a Test in the Test Championship cycle," said the 36-year-old cricketer. ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Venue and date of the match The fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Ashes series is scheduled to be played from January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia will look to seal the series 4-1, whereas the "Three Lions" will play for pride and try to end the series on a positive note. (With ANI Inputs)
03 January,2026 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA few years ago, Vikhroli-based batting all-rounder Karan Sonavale, 31, was aspiring to play for Mumbai. Presently, he is gearing up for the biggest stage — representing Oman at the upcoming T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, starting on February 7. Sonavale was part of the Mumbai U-19 and U-23 probables in 2013 and 2017 respectively. “I performed well for Parel Sporting SC, MIG CC and ICICI Bank, but missed out on the Mumbai cap somehow. In 2017 and 2018, I represented Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University in an inter-university cricket tournament. Thereafter, I decided to try other options, and in 2020 I contacted former Oman cricketer Vaibhav Wategaonkar, who helped me join the Al Turky team in Oman. It was a tough call as I had to stay away from my family; even the number of matches I got was quite less, but those three-four years were challenging. Slowly, I started aiming to be a part of the Oman national team and eventually made it. Though I’m not playing for India, I’m excited to play in the T20 World Cup and want to give my best,” Sonavale told mid-day from Muscat on Thursday. Sonavale has represented Oman in three ODIs and four T20Is, but was unlucky to miss out on the recent Asia Cup. A hamstring injury kept him away from the continental event which was won by the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team that beat Pakistan in the final at Dubai on September 28. When asked how challenging it will be when Oman face prominent teams like Australia and Sri Lanka or even Ireland and Zimbabwe for the matter, he replied: “It’s challenging, but I’m not thinking about who are the big players in the opposing team. I’m just concentrating on my process. My mindset is clear. I want to play every ball on merit.” No. 3 batter Sonavale revealed that Oman’s head coach and former SL captain Duleep Mendis and his deputy and ex-Mumbai ’keeper-batter Sulakshan Kulkarni have advised him to focus on playing big knocks. “Mendis sir told me to convert good starts into big runs. Sulakshan sir also said that I should not be satisfied with just 30s and 40s,” said Sonavale, who credited his Mumbai-based coaches Pankaj Sharma and Ajay Kadam for giving him the confidence to grow internationally.
03 January,2026 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureKartikeya Sharma was the standout performer for Rizvi Springfield High School (Khar), thanks to his splendid century against Little Stars English High School (Worli) on Day Two of the Dream Sports Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) inter-school Round-Two league-stage Giles Shield match at the Western Railway ground (Cross Maidan) on Friday. The rain-affected two-day match ultimately ended in a draw — Day One was completely washed out — after Rizvi declared at a commanding 237-3 (46 overs), riding on the back of Kartikeya’s 105 off 139 balls. He received solid support from Sujal Khot (58 off 63) and Siddhant Desai (53 off 41). For Little Stars, Karan Kamble (1-79) and Shivam Yadav (1-94) picked up a wicket each. In reply to Rizvi’s total, the Worli outfit ended the match at 102 for 4 in 31 overs, with Shivam top-scoring with 38, while Akshat Joshi scored 26. For Rizvi Springfield, Abdulla Khatri struck twice (2-33), while Afridi Ansari 1-13, and Avanish Sawant (1-17) also picked a wicket each. On Thursday, MSSA secretary Nadeem Memon had announced that each team would receive one point due to the fixtures being truncated.
03 January,2026 10:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamThe New Year got off to a tearful start for India women’s team batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who announced the passing of her beloved pet dog Theo on Friday. “Our goodest boy Theo is no more with us,” Jemimah wrote to her 3.8 million Instagram followers. The 25-year-old also posted a slew of stories highlighting some special moments she shared with her pet canine. In one of them, Rodrigues is seen playing hockey with Theo, calling him “my strongest opponent so far” as the dog cutely chases the ball while she dribbles it. In another video, Theo is seen having fun walking along with Rodrigues and her friends. The India batter called it her “favourite video.” Rodrigues ended her post on an emotional note: “Thank you Theo for coming into our lives and making it even better. We love you and I know you’re doing so much masti [fun] in heaven. You are already missed here.”
03 January,2026 09:56 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentSeamer Matthew Potts and spinner Shoaib Bashir were included in a 12-man England squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia. Potts is the only unused fast bowler from their original 16-man squad and gets his chance after Gus Atkinson limped off with a hamstring issue in Melbourne. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 January,2026 09:51 AM IST | Sydney | AFPUsman Khawaja said on Friday he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and final Ashes clash against England, leaving a legacy as Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer while lashing out at perceived “racial stereotyping” during his 15-year career. The 39-year-old will pad up for the last time, should he be selected, when the Test gets under way in Sydney on Sunday. “The number one emotion is contentment. I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. “I hope I have inspired people along the way. I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now, and you can do the same,” he added. Khawaja immigrated to Australia from Islamabad as a child, battling the odds to become the country’s first Pakistan-born, and first Muslim, national player. Khawaja injured his back in the first Test in Perth. Khawaja did not feature in the next match at Brisbane and was omitted from the team for the third Test in Adelaide, only to get a lifeline when Steve Smith dropped out ill just before the toss. “I’m glad I get to leave on my own terms, with a little bit of dignity, and go out at the SCG where I love,” he said, while expressing frustration at how he was treated. “When I did my back [in Perth], I hurt my back and had back spasms and it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and past players came out and attacked me. I could have copped it for a couple of days but it went on for five days. The way everyone came out at me about my preparation, ‘he’s not committed to the team. Only worried about himself. Playing a golf competition. He’s selfish, he didn’t train hard enough. He’s lazy’. These are the same racial stereotypes [I thought we had moved past]. “But obviously we haven’t fully moved past that. I haven’t seen anyone treated like that in the Australian cricket team before,” he said. Khawaja also played 40 ODIs and nine T20Is. 6206No. of runs scored by Usman Khawaja in 87 Tests @ 43.39 232Khawaja’s career-best Test score, against Sri Lanka in Galle last January. In doing so, he became the first Australian to score a double century in the island nation This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 January,2026 09:35 AM IST | Sydney | AFP171 vs England (January 2018) After scoring just two half-centuries in the first four Tests, Usman Khawaja delivered a masterclass with a towering 171. Walking in to bat after opener Cameron Bancroft was dismissed for a duck in reply to England’s first innings total of 346 all out, the left-hander played a patient knock, batting for more than eight-and-a-half hours to help Australia declare at 649-7. His 381-ball innings helped the hosts take a mammoth 303-run first-innings lead, which eventually resulted in an innings victory and a 4-0 Ashes series win. 137and 101 not out vs England (January 2022) Khawaja made a dream comeback after being out of the side for almost 29 months. The then 35-year-old was drafted into the playing XI after Travis Head was sidelined by COVID-19. Batting at No. 5, he made full use of the opportunity, scoring a flawless 137. His innings, laced with 13 fours, took Australia to 416-8 declared. The left-hander received a standing ovation from the SCG crowd for his comeback knock. There was no stopping Khawaja in the second innings as he achieved the rare feat of scoring twin centuries in a single Test. Coming in at 68-3 in Australia’s second innings, in reply to England’s 294 all out, he batted more aggressively, scoring 101 not out off just 138 balls to set up a 388-run victory target. By doing so, he became only the third player to score two hundreds in the same Test at the SCG. The game eventually ended in a draw. 195 not out vs South Africa (January 2023) With the majority of the Test affected by rain, Khawaja tried his best to outbat South Africa with his then career-best 195 not out. With Khawaja just five runs short of his maiden double century, captain Pat Cummins made a courageous call to declare the innings at 475-4. Khawaja’s knock featured 19 fours and one six. The game, however, ended in a draw after the Proteas were made to bat twice, finishing the Test at 106-2 after being bowled out for just 255 in their first innings. 87.5Usman Khawaja’s average in Tests in Sydney. He has scored 875 runs in nine matches
03 January,2026 09:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Rohan KoliThe Team India duo of Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj is expected to be the big talking point on Saturday when the selectors pick the 15-member squad for the ODI series against New Zealand. With no major shakeups expected in the squad that defeated South Africa, two specific concerns could be addressed by Ajit Agarkar's selection committee. The first point could be Pant's selection as the second wicketkeeper-batsman, as Ishan Kishan is enjoying his stunning form in the middle order. Whether it is Agarkar or head coach Gautam Gambhir, both have shown an inclination to select personnel based on team combination. Therefore, in T20 Internationals, they have opted for wicketkeeper-openers such as Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Pant, since the arrival of Gambhir as head coach, has played just one ODI between July 2024 to December 2025. The second discussion could be the selection of pacers for the 50-over format series. Lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah and star all-rounder Hardik Pandya are expected to be rested, considering the T20 World Cup 2026 assignment. It will be interesting to see if the selectors opt to give a break to the other two speedsters, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. Mohammed Siraj, who was once a regular face in India's ODI setup, has been sidelined from the format's team after the ODI World Cup 2023. He hasn't played in the first four rounds of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy either, but might appear for Hyderabad in two of the last three rounds. The first ODI match between Team India and New Zealand is scheduled to be played on January 11 at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Gujarat. The second match between the teams will be played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on January 14. The third and final clash between the "Men in Blue" and the "Black Caps" will be played at the Holkar Stadium in Madhya Pradesh on January 18. After the conclusion of the ODI series, both teams will play the five-match T20I series, which will also serve as a preparatory contest ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. (With PTI Inputs)
02 January,2026 04:42 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDecember 31157 vs Goa off 75 balls Vijay Hazare Trophy Sarfaraz, who had already accumulated 220 runs in three VHT innings at a strike rate of 170.54, smashed 157 in just 75 balls as Mumbai posted a mammoth 444-8 to beat Goa by 87 runs on New Year’s eve in Jaipur. His innings at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground was laced with nine fours and 14 huge sixes. Mumbai lost openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (46) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (11) by the 21st over, before No. 4 Sarfaraz, along with his younger brother, No. 3 Musheer (60) stitched a 93-run stand off just 60 balls to set the platform for a big total. December 2655 vs Uttarakhand off 49 balls Vijay Hazare Trophy Sarfaraz notched up an important half-century, 55 off 49 balls, with the help of five fours and one six as Mumbai posted 331-7 against Uttarakhand at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Mumbai emerged victorious by 51 runs. In the next match against Chhattisgarh (Dec 29), Sarfaraz did not get an opportunity to bat as Mumbai emerged triumphant by nine wickets, comfortably chasing 142 in Jaipur. December 1673 vs RajasthanOFF 22 balls Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy Just before the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Sarfaraz declared his intent, accumulating an impressive 329 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy at an amazing strike rate of 203.08. Again Rajasthan, he hammered six fours and seven sixes during a 22-ball 73 in a Super League Group ‘A’ encounter at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. He reached his half-century in a mere 15 balls as Mumbai went on to beat Rajasthan by three wickets after comfortably chasing 216-4 11 balls to spare. December 1464 vs HaryanaOFF 25 ballSSyed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy Sarfaraz took just 25 balls to score 64 runs with the help of nine fours and three sixes as Mumbai chased down Haryana’s 234-4 in the 17.3 overs to emerge victorious by four wickets in this Super League Group ‘A’ game at Ambi near Pune. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal gave Mumbai a fine start with a 50-ball 101 (16x4 and 1x6). December 452 vs KeralaOFF 40 ballSSyed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy Sarfaraz contributed a vital 52 off 40 balls with the help of eight fours and a six, but it wasn’t enough as Mumbai lost their Elite Group ‘A’ to Kerala by 15 runs in Lucknow. Chasing 178 for victory, besides Sarfaraz, opener Ajinkya Rahane (18-ball 32) and No.4 Suryakumar Yadav (25-ball 32), no other Mumbai batsman performed as they were bowled out for 163 in 19.4 overs. December 2100 not out vs AssamOFF 47 ballsSyed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy When Mumbai began proceedings in the Elite Group ‘A’ league stage in November, Sarfaraz was not part of the playing XI against Railways, Vidarbha, and Andhra. However, when he got picked against Assam, he made the most of the opportunity, hammering a 47-ball 100 not out to help Mumbai win by 98 runs. Sarfaraz hit eight fours and seven sixes en route his quickfire century.
02 January,2026 04:06 PM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureAhead of the fifth and final Test match of the Ashes series against Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a 12-member squad. The "Three Lions" have made two changes from their previous squad for the fourth Test match in Melbourne. Spinner Shoaib Bashir and pacer Matthew Potts have been picked in the team for the fifth clash. The fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Ashes series is scheduled to be played from Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground. So far, Bashir, who made his Test debut against Team India in 2024, has featured in 19 matches of the format. He has picked up 68 wickets with an average of 39.00. The 22-year-old cricketer also has two four-wicket and four five-wicket hauls in the longest format of the game. This is the first time that England has gone with a specialist spinner in the ongoing series. Earlier, the side had only a spin bowling option, which was all-rounder Will Jacks. Potts made his Test debut against New Zealand at iconic Lord's in June 2022. Since then, the right-arm pacer has played 10 matches, picking 36 wickets at an average of 29.44, including two four-wicket hauls. England's right-arm pacer Gus Atkinson is the only player missing from the side that defeated Australia in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne by four wickets. Atkinson has been ruled out of the fifth Test due to a hamstring injury. Ahead of the fifth Test, veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja confirmed that he will retire from international cricket after the conclusion of the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground, beginning later this month, as confirmed by ESPNcricinfo. He represented Australia in 87 Test matches, scoring 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39. The left-handed batsman's longest format career also includes 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries across 157 innings. The Aussies have already clinched the series as they taken a lead by 3-1. England squad for the fifth Ashes Test Ben Stokes (captain), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Josh Tongue. (With ANI Inputs)
02 January,2026 03:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia's Test captain Pat Cummins congratulated traditional opening batsman Usman Khawaja on his incredible career after the left-handed batsman confirmed stepping away from international cricket after the conclusion of the fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Ashes series. During a press conference that lasted for 50 minutes on Friday, Khawaja said that the Test match in Sydney would be his last appearance in international cricket, according to ESPNcricinfo. So far, he has represented Australia in 87 Test matches and has scored 6206 runs with an average of 43.39. He also has 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries in the format. Cummins shared a story on his official social media handle, in which he urged Usman Khawaja to smash a century at home before retiring. "Congratulations on an incredible career mate. One more century to go," read the story's caption. The fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Ashes series is scheduled to be played from January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Former Team India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan also wished Khawaja on his stunning career for Australia. "What a journey, @Uz_Khawaja. Good luck for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next," Dhawan wrote on X. What a journey, @Uz_Khawaja. Good luck for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next 🙌 — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) January 2, 2026 Speaking to the media at the SCG, Khawaja said the decision had been on his mind for some time and that discussions with his wife, Rachel, played a significant role in finalising it. "I've been thinking about it, not wholly, but for a while," Khawaja said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "Moving into this series, I kind of had an inkling in my head that this would be the last series. Khawaja revealed that Australian head coach Andrew McDonald had, until recently, still been considering ways to extend his Test career, including plans for future tours. "I talked to Rachel [Khawaja's wife] about it a fair bit, and I knew this was a big chance. I didn't leave the door fully shut, because I knew there was a chance I could play on. I know [coach] Andrew McDonald even right till the very end, when I told him a few days ago, he was still thinking about how I could get to India [in 2027]," said the 39-year-old cricketer. (With ANI Inputs)
02 January,2026 02:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
