In the third ODI match against Team India, New Zealand emerged victorious by 41 runs at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. With this, the "Black Caps" clinched the three-match ODI series by 2-1. Having put to chase a target of 338 runs, Team India was bowled out for 296 runs in 46 overs. Opening the innings, Rohit Sharma scored 11 runs in 13 balls, including two boundaries. Skipper Shubman Gill departed after scoring 23 runs off 18 balls, with the help of four boundaries. Stalwart Virat Kohli registered 124 runs in 108 balls, which was laced with 10 boundaries and three maximums. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul returned to the pavilion on low scores. Iyer managed to score just three runs in 10 balls, whereas Rahul's innings ended with just one run in six balls. Nitish Kumar Reddy accumulated 53 runs off 57 balls, including two boundaries and the same number of maximums. Harshit Rana also scored 52 runs after facing 43 balls. His knock included four boundaries and four maximums. Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed on 12 runs in 16 balls. Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav registered a duck and five runs, respectively. Kuldeep's innings included a boundary. Arshdeep Singh stayed unbeaten on four runs in two balls. He also smashed a boundary. New Zealand's Zakary Foulkes and Kris Clarke claimed three wickets each. Jayden Lennox and Kyle Jamieson registered two and one wickets to their names, respectively. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips went wicketless in the third ODI match against Team India. Earlier, having put to bat first, New Zealand's opening batsman, Devon Conway, departed after scoring five runs in four balls, with the help of a boundary. Fellow opening batsman Henry Nicholls was dismissed on the first ball duck. Will Young accumulated 30 runs in 41 balls. His knock also included five boundaries and a maximum. Later, in-form batsman Daryl Mitchell slammed another century. Facing 131 deliveries, the right-handed batsman accumulated 137 runs, which was laced with 15 boundaries and three maximums. Shouldering Mitchell was Glenn Phillips, who delivered a knock of 106 runs in just 88 balls. During his knock, he also smashed nine boundaries and three maximums. Skipper Michael Bracewell gave the finishing touches to New Zealand's innings. He faced 28 balls and accumulated an unbeaten 28 runs, including a boundary and three maximums. With the help of their knocks, the "Black Caps" posted a total of 337 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 50 overs. Team India's Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana registered three wickets to their names. Having bowled 10 overs, Arshdeep conceded 63 runs, whereas Harshit leaked 84 runs in his spell of 10 overs. Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav also chipped in with one wicket each. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless in the third ODI match against New Zealand.
18 January,2026 09:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, former cricketer Dinesh Karthik spoke about Team India's solid form in the format. While speaking, Karthik noted that the "Men in Blue" have won 29 out of 36 T20I matches they have played after their T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. He also pointed out that the side tasted success in the Asia Cup 2025, where they defeated arch-rivals, Pakistan, thrice in the continental tournament. "The Indian team is in a very strong position at the moment. As we sit here, they have won 29 out of the 36 matches they have played in T20 cricket post the World Cup, which is a phenomenal record to have. In a very fickle format like T20, where upsets are the norm, this level of consistency is remarkable. Winning 29 out of the last 36 games they have played is, I feel, very hard to replicate. For starters, it tells you about the strength of the team. They have also played a very good Asia Cup in the recent past and went past Pakistan in the final, beating them three out of three times," he said. Team India is placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026 along with teams such as Pakistan, Namibia, the USA, and the Netherlands. Further speaking, the former cricketer said that considering that the other three nations are still hunting their way to prove themselves in international cricket, India and Pakistan should be able to defeat them. He then explained the nature of the shortest format of the game. "If you look at the depth of this group, there's India, there's Pakistan, and then there are three associate nations who are still finding their feet at the international level. You would expect India or Pakistan to beat them, but the beauty of this format is that you cannot walk into any game thinking it is going to be easy. You lose the toss, you are bowling, and suddenly, you are thinking this could be challenging at the back end. You need to get an above-par score to give yourself a chance to defend under dew. So, I would say India are in a very good place," Karthik explained. He then feels depth bowling can be a concern for the Suryakumar Yadav-led men in the global showpiece. "Death bowling is a concern. I think it's a challenge because of the way they stack up their eleven. When they have played in the subcontinent, they have gone with (Jasprit) Bumrah, Hardik (Pandya) as the second pacer, and Shivam Dube as the third, while backing their spinners heavily. At times, when the game goes deep, especially when they are defending a total, the back end can become a challenge," said the 40-year-old former cricketer. The "Men in Blue" will kick off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign by playing a clash against the USA on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wk). (With ANI Inputs)
18 January,2026 06:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTiigers of Kolkata delivered their most dominant performance of ISPL Season 3, registering a commanding win over Srinagar in their third league match at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Tiigers put up a record-breaking 136 for 4, the highest team total of the season so far, setting the tone early and never letting Srinagar settle into the contest. Leading the charge was Gully to Glory Award winner Saif Ali, who played a fiery knock in every sense. Saif hammered 58 off just 33 deliveries, striking two towering nine-run hits and two sixes, anchoring the innings while accelerating when it mattered most. His knock ensured Kolkata not only posted a defendable score, but one that put the opposition under pressure from the outset. Saroj Paramanik provided the momentum in the middle overs, following up his heroics from the previous game with another match-winning contribution. Promoted up the order, Saroj smashed 34 off 15 balls, including three nine-run hits in a single over, injecting urgency into the innings and shifting momentum decisively in Kolkata’s favour. The knock proved crucial in pushing the scoring rate at a key phase of the innings. This marked Saroj’s second consecutive Man of the Match award in Season 3, a remarkable turnaround after going winless in the category since the league’s inaugural season. Kolkata’s bowlers then ensured there was no way back for Srinagar. A crucial maiden 50:50 over by Vivek Mohanan choked the chase at a vital stage, while Krushna Gawali produced the catch of the match, pulling off a stunning effort in the field that summed up the Tiigers’ overall intensity. For Saif Ali, the innings was another milestone in a career defined by resilience rather than smooth progression. From leaving college to pursue cricket full-time, piling up runs in Bengal’s U23 circuit without getting the breakthrough he hoped for, to walking away from leather-ball cricket altogether in 2020, Saif’s journey has been one of reinvention. Tennis-ball cricket gave him a second innings, and ISPL became his stage — from Chennai to Srinagar, and now Kolkata. The highest run-scorer of the 2025 season and Player of the Tournament, Saif continues to play with the hunger of someone who knows what it means to start over. Backed by a close-knit family and now motivated further by fatherhood, he balances ambition with perspective, chasing stability as much as success. Speaking after the match, Saif said, “This innings means a lot to me. I would like to thank Aksha Kamboj ma’am and the entire team for backing me and creating a carefree environment where I can express myself. When you’re given responsibility at the top, your only focus is to make it count. I wanted to bat deep, give confidence to the boys around me, and make the best use of the conditions. Records are nice, but what matters most is that the team keeps winning and moving in the right direction.” Tiigers skipper Bhavesh Pawar praised the impact of the senior players, placing special emphasis on Saif Ali’s role at the top. “We had a lot of faith in Saif, and the way he batted gave the entire team confidence. He took responsibility, stayed till the end, and set the tone for the innings. Saroj Dada also played a very important knock in the middle, which helped us push the momentum. This format can change anytime, so we’re not thinking too far ahead. We’re just trying to win the matches in front of us and play our normal game,” Bhavesh said. 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.
18 January,2026 05:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Mumbai-born cricketer Saurabh Netravalkar, who now represents the USA, expressed his feeling on being able to play at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The USA will open their global showpiece campaign by playing a clash against Team India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7. Ahead of the game, the pacer stated that it is going to be an emotional moment for him and also said it is a kind of full-circle moment for him. "I wouldn't know how I would react there. But it is an emotional moment, for sure. Kind of like a full circle moment because I started playing cricket in Mumbai and gave up on the sport and moved to the US and never even expected to play cricket again. International (cricket) wasn't even a thought," he said. "So, it's like a second innings, that cricket gave me that chance and brought me back to Mumbai. So, in that sense, it's nostalgic and emotional, but it's not playing on my mind per se," added Netravalkar. Back then, while representing Mumbai, he played a first-class match along with Suryakumar Yadav and Shardul Thakur in 2013. He has also represented India in the 2010 U-19 World Cup. When asked if he visualised playing at the venue in front of his family and friends. "Kind of, yes. I wouldn't say in this particular way, but as a kid, obviously, growing up in Mumbai, I have always, since I started playing cricket, dreamt about playing for the country and hopefully at Wankhede. We've been training at Wankhede since our under-15 days," he said. "Very grateful that this opportunity has come about whilst playing for the USA. My family and friends will be there. So yeah, I am looking forward to giving my best effort," added the 34-year-old USA pacer. The USA has been placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026 along with the teams such as India, Pakistan, Namibia and the Netherlands. The marquee tournament will kick off with the first game scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands on February 7 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. (With PTI Inputs)
18 January,2026 04:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the U-19 World Cup match against Bangladesh, Team India's Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a knock of 72 runs off 67 deliveries, which was laced with six boundaries and three maximums. Following his stunning knock, skipper Ayush Mhatre heaped praise on his opening batsman by saying that he showed maturity while batting. "(Sooryavanshi) showed the maturity that he's got and just batted really brilliantly. He showed patience also; the team needed him to stay there, so he stayed in," said Mhatre, according to the ICC website. He also said that batting was not easy on the pitch, but was impressed by the batting display showcased by Abhigyan Kundu and Sooryavanshi. "It was initially tough conditions because there was some stickiness in the wicket and the ball was coming a little bit (on the) slower side, back of the length, so there was some difficulty. But the way that (Abhigyan Kundu and Sooryavanshi) batted, and (later in) the innings, (Kanishk Chouhan) batted well, he added. Wicketkeeper-batsman Abhigyan Kundu also delivered a crucial knock of 80 runs in 112 balls, with the help of four boundaries and three maximums. Sooryavanshi and Kundu stitched a partnership of 62 runs for the fourth wicket to help lay strong foundations, while Kanishk Chouhan's knock of 28 in 26 balls helped with the finishing touches. The skipper was nothing short of praise for Kundu and also labelled the win as a "terrific victory". "(Kundu) is batting really well in this tournament, and is in form also, so it's really nice for us that he's batting really brilliantly and scoring some runs for our team," said Mhatre. "It really was a terrific victory from our boys; it was really big. We just play our game, we're not thinking much (about that game yet), just (about) playing our cricket," the skipper concluded. Riding on their knocks, India posted a gigantic total of 238 runs in 48.4 overs. Later, they bowled out Bangladesh for just 146 runs in 28.3 overs and registered a victory by 18 runs through the DLS method. U-19 World Cup, India vs New Zealand: Date and Venue The "Boys in Blue" will not lock horns against New Zealand on January 24 at Bulawayo. (With ANI Inputs)
18 January,2026 03:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the 3rd ODI match against New Zealand, Team India's skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Considering that the series is tied at 1-1, the clash will be interesting to watch. The hosts will expect their stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to showcase their skills with the willow yet again. On the other hand, the visitors will look to clinch the series by 2-1 under the captaincy of Michael Bracewell. After winning the toss, India skipper Gill stated that the Holkar Stadium is considered a high-scoring venue, but is also hopeful of restricting the "Black Caps" to a minimum score. "We'll bowl first, great chance to put NZ under pressure. They pushed us hard, but we're ready for the challenge. Indore's a high-scoring venue, but we think we can defend a total. Need to vary our lengths in the middle overs, pick wickets. Arshdeep's in for Prasidh, one change for us. It's a big game, let's give it our all," he said. Additionally, Gill is shy of just 70 runs from accomplishing the feat of 3000 runs in One-Day Internationals. Currently, having represented India in 60 ODI matches, the right-handed batsman has garnered 2930 runs, including eight centuries and 17 half-centuries. The right-handed batsman will be high on confidence after scoring a half-century in the previous clash. On the other hand, New Zealand captain Bracewell said, "It's a good surface; we need to shift our mindset to bat first. We're here to win, and this decider's a great opportunity. Youngsters have brought their A-game; now it's about performing under pressure. Proud of the team's effort so far. I'm looking forward to seeing how we do today. No changes from the last game". IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Confirmed Playing XI India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh. New Zealand: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (WK), Michael Bracewell (C), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox.
18 January,2026 01:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) off-spin bowling all-rounder Shreyanka Patil said she was ‘very happy’ to claim her maiden five-wicket haul in T20s as her side defeated Gujarat Giants by 32 runs to extend their unbeaten run in the Women’s Premier League. At the DY Patil Stadium, Shreyanka (5-23) became the youngest bowler to get a five-wicket haul in WPL, as RCB got on top of the points table. “The bowlers did tremendously well, and I’m very, very happy that I got my first five-wicket haul in T20s,” said Shreyanka. “I am a wicket-taking bowler, and I’ve always said that because the drift I get, the turn I get on the bounce is something I’m not seeing much,” she added. 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
18 January,2026 08:42 AM IST | Navi Mumbai | IANSFormer captain Ajinkya Rahane and India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will not be available for Mumbai for the remainder of the Ranji Trophy season which resumes on January 22 for its second round. Mumbai will take on Hyderabad in an away match from January 22-25 before returning home to play against Delhi from January 29 for their last league round match. “Both Rahane and Jaiswal are not available for the remaining two matches of the Ranji Trophy season,” a senior MCA official told PTI on Saturday. “Rahane will not be available due to personal reasons,” the official added. The 37-year-old Rahane, who had given up the Mumbai captaincy before the start of the 2025-26 season, last played in the Ranji Trophy in a home game against Himachal Pradesh in November 2025. He played for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament but was not a part of the side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Suved Parkar and Sairaj Patil have been added to the Mumbai squad. 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
18 January,2026 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIIn the last three days, defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have suffered two back-to-back defeats against UP Warriorz (UPW). On Thursday, UPW beat MI by seven wickets in their first WPL-4 encounter at the DY Patil Stadium. Then, on Saturday, Meg Lanning’s team beat Harmanpreet Kaur & Co by 22 runs in their return game at the same venue. During the chase of UPW’s 187-8, MI lost their top five batters, including skipper Harmanpreet (18), when the scoreboard read 69-5 after 11 overs. Following that, despite an 83-run partnership off just 45 balls between No. 7 Amanjot Kaur (24-ball 41, 4x4, 3x6) and No. 6 Amelia Kerr (49 not out off 28 balls), MI failed to register their third win in the tournament. Lanning (45-ball 70, 11x4, 2x6) and Phoebe Litchfield (37-ball 61, 7x4, 3x6), who shared a 119-run stand off just 74 balls, were the chief architects of UPW’s win. However, MI’s sloppy fielding and poor bowling helped UPW. Opener Lanning, who anchored the innings, scored the first boundary for the team through a well-timed pull shot against off-spinner Sanskriti Gupta. Lanning also smashed the first maximum in the third over when she dispatched pacer Nicola Carey (1-38) over the fine leg fence with a sweep. Lanning’s half-century came in 36 balls when she hit leg-spinner Amelia Kerr (3-28) for a six over long-off. One-drop left-hander Litchfield exhibited solid footwork, especially against the spinners. Her cover drive for four against West Indies off-spinner Hayley Matthews (1-40) while dancing down the track was a treat to watch. Then, Lanning capitalised on it, finishing Matthews’s over with two successive fours via a cut and a straight drive. Litchfield reached her fifty off just 33 balls, by hitting a six and a four in succession off Amanjot in the 13th over, in which UPW scored 20 runs. Litchfield was lucky when Sanskriti Gupta dropped her on 36 at short third. Then, Harmanpreet gave her another chance when she was on 55. “We were three down early [44-3 in 6.5 overs], and then trying to rebuild a partnership, but [we were] losing continuous wickets so we never got ahead of the game,” Kerr said during the post-match press conference on Saturday. Meanwhile, UPW fielding coach Saurabh Bandekar reckoned that two successive wins over MI gave them a big boost. “They won [WPL] twice already, so [two wins] are huge for us, especially coming at this stage [in the WPL]. Beating them twice will double up the confidence in the team,” Bandekar said. Brief scores UPW 187-8 in 20 overs (M Lanning 70, P Litchfield 61; A Kerr 3-28, N Sciver-Brunt 2-22) beat MI 165-6 in 20 overs (A Kerr 49*, A Kaur 41; S Pandey 2-30) by 22 runs
18 January,2026 08:37 AM IST | Navi Mumbai | Subodh MayureIndia’s absolute dominance at home will come under examination when they meet a determined New Zealand in the decisive third ODI at the high-scoring Holkar Stadium here on Sunday, with the three-match series locked at 1-1. The Black Caps have toured India for bilateral ODIs since 1989, but have never won a series in India and this is arguably their best opportunity to break that barren run. India head coach Gautam Gambhir would not like another tumbling at home under his regime after getting a number of unwanted firsts. India lost five Tests at home under Gambhir, apart from losing an ODI series in Sri Lanka for the first time. India’s defeat in the second ODI at Rajkot was shaped less by one extraordinary innings than by how New Zealand seized control of the middle overs. Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten century was built on calculated aggression, particularly against spin, an area where India have been struggling of late. Indore, with its short boundaries and minimal assistance for bowlers, offers even less margin for error. India’s ability to tackle spin has raised questions. Despite depth and power, the side have continued to show discomfort against spin in the middle overs. Much of the spotlight will be on Rohit Sharma, who is enduring a lean run in this series. His ultra-aggressive approach at the top has been a defining feature of India’s recent ODI philosophy, but repeated early dismissals have added a bit of pressure. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, remains the fulcrum around which India’s ODI batting revolves. With India’s next 50-over assignment for senior players likely to come in July during the tour of England, the fans would hope for another RoKo show. Phillips focused on process rather than history talk Glenn Phillips New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips said the chance to script another chapter of history in India was “pretty cool” but stressed that his side would rely on process and adaptability rather than emotion as they eye a rare white-ball series success against a formidable host. “Opportunities to make history are very few and far between and they’re pretty cool. But focusing on that doesn’t really help with anything. As professionals, we try to treat every moment like any other day,” Phillips said on the eve of the series-deciding game here on Sunday. Siraj not concerned about Jadeja’s form Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj. Pics/AFP India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Saturday backed senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja to rediscover his rhythm quickly, insisting that it would only take one wicket for the left-arm spinner to return to his best in the series-deciding third ODI against New Zealand, here on Sunday. Jadeja went wicketless in the first two ODIs against New Zealand (0-44 and 0-56) in the ongoing series and could scalp only one batter in the preceding three-match series against South Africa at home. “I don’t think there is any concern about Jadeja’s form. It is a matter of just one wicket. Once you get that breakthrough, you will see a different bowler altogether,” Siraj said at the pre-match press conference. 100India’s winning percentage in ODIs at Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium. The hosts have won all seven games played here 108.00India skipper Shubman Gill’s average at Indore. He has scored 216 runs, including two centuries in as many ODIs 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
18 January,2026 08:33 AM IST | Indore | PTIRiding on off-spinner Vihaan Malhotra’s 4-14, India beat Bangladesh by 18 runs (DLS method) in the U-19 World Cup match here on Saturday. Set a revised target of 165 in 29 overs after play was halted due to rain, Bangladesh were bowled out for just 146 in 28.3 overs. Skipper Azizul Hakim top-scored for Bangladesh with 51. It was India’s second consecutive victory in the tournament. Kundu, Sooryavanshi shine Earlier, Abhigyan Kundu and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck fighting half-centuries, but pacer Al Fahad’s splendid five-wicket haul helped Bangladesh bowl out India for 238. India slipped early after Bangladesh won the toss on a rain-affected day and were kept under constant pressure by disciplined bowling, with teenage opener Vaibhav being forced to an unusually restrained knock of 72 off 67 balls (6x4s, 3x6s). Kundu then anchored the lower order with a composed 80 off 112 balls (4x4s, 3x6s), making full use of two reprieves to steer India past the 200-run mark after a 65-minute rain interruption reduced the match to 49 overs. Al Fahad (5-38 in 9.2 overs), despite battling cramps. No handshake at toss Meanwhile, the strained bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh filtered onto the cricket field as captains of the two teams abstained from making a customary handshake at toss, though BCB later called it “unintentional and momentary lapse” by its team’s skipper. 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
18 January,2026 08:28 AM IST | Bulawayo | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
