Australian cricket great Damien Martyn has been discharged from the hospital after coming out of an induced coma on Thursday and is recovering after being diagnosed with meningitis just over a week ago. Martyn, who represented Australia in 67 Test matches, fell ill on Boxing Day and was taken to hospital on the Gold Coast late last month, where he was placed in an induced coma amid a bout of meningitis. He woke from the coma last week and began talking again. 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
09 January,2026 08:58 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSDespite Sarfaraz Khan’s record-breaking 15-ball half-century, Mumbai lost to Punjab by a solitary run in a Group C fixture of the Vijay Hazare Trophy held in Jaipur on Thursday. The in-form Mumbai batter belted a 20-ball 62, laced with seven fours and five maximums while chasing a small target of 217. His knock was the quickest fifty scored by an Indian in List A cricket — the fifty over format of the game, which includes domestic and international matches. However, Mumbai’s star-studded middle-order containing the likes of Shreyas Iyer (45), Suryakumar Yadav (15), Shivam Dube (12) failed to capitalise on their starts as the team were bundled out in the span of 26.2 overs. Nevertheless, Mumbai still secured qualification to the quarter-finals by virtue of their second-place finish. Meanwhile, in a Group B match, Hardik Pandya (75 off 31) and Jitesh Sharma (73 off 33) starred with the bat for Baroda in a 149-run win over Chandigarh, but it was not enough as they failed to qualify on net run-rate. In another Group B clash, Dhruv Jurel scored a century (123) to help Uttar Pradesh beat Bengal by five wickets and maintain their perfect group-stage record. 15No. of balls Sarfaraz Khan took to score fifty; the fastest by an Indian in List A cricket 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
09 January,2026 08:56 AM IST | Jaipur | AgenciesMumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana complemented each other on the eve of the WPL-4 opening fixture at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday. Both first recalled the Indian women team’s maiden ICC ODI World Cup win, which they celebrated just a couple of months ago (November 2, 2025 night) at the same venue. Then, they spoke about how this edition of the WPL could be the perfect stepping stone for the players to eye glory at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to be held in England in June and July. “Winning the T20 World Cup will be great, but we all know that we just won the [ODI] World Cup, and there are a lot of things that we need to work on. We really want to sit back and say that yeah, we’re the best team in the world and the World No.1 team, but I feel we still have a lot of things to improve on. I’m sure this WPL is going to bridge that gap for us,” Mandhana, who is Team India skipper Harmanpreet’s deputy in the national set-up, said during a joint pre-match press conference on Thursday. Harmanpreet echoed Mandhana’s feelings. “Smriti said it correctly. We are not satisfied with this one World Cup we have. There is so much cricket coming up this year and in the next two-three years, so every time we go on to the field, we want to go with that winning mindset. And it’s good to see that not only the two of us, but all the other players are also coming up and thinking and speaking about how they want to be champions all the time. I believe this shows that the WPL has had a lot of positive impact on us,” said Harmanpreet. India’s World Cup-winning captain went on to lavish praise on her deputy for her valuable inputs during international matches. “Smriti likes to keep discussing about the players we are playing up against. She’s someone who is always giving me feedback on the field. She’s really good with stats about opposition players and whenever I need it, she’s always there,” said Harmanpreet. Her knowledge and skills notwithstanding though Mandhana revealed there is one aspect that she’s still trying to work hard on: “I’m trying to learn aggression [from Harmanpreet], but I’m not getting it. She [Harmanpreet] is such a fierce leader. She’s really passionate about the way she leads. The passion in her eyes is something that’s very motivating for all of us. That’s one thing I’d like to learn,” said Mandhana. Speaking about Friday’s encounter, Mandhana had a funny one-liner: “I hope she [Harmanpreet] does well, but we [RCB] win.” Current defending champions MI lead the head-to-head against RCB 4-3. TwoNo. of WPL titles won by Mumbai Indians
09 January,2026 08:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureHits Mitchell Starc Matches: 5Wickets: 31, Runs: 156Australia pacer Mitchell Starc claimed the Compton-Miller Medal after finishing with 31 wickets and contributing 156 runs. The 35-year-old was lethal right from the opening over of the series, dismissing England’s openers four times in the first over of an innings. He finished with two five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket match haul. He also became the most successful left-arm seamer during the Brisbane Test. Starc’s valuable knocks of 77 and 54 in Brisbane and Adelaide demonstrated his importance with the bat as well. Travis Head Matches: 5Runs: 629Travis Head was the most destructive batter of this series, piling up 629 runs, including three centuries. His fearless approach consistently put England under pressure. Asked to open the batting in the second innings of the opening Test in Perth, Head hammered 123 off 83 balls to take the game away from the Englishmen. There was no looking back for the left-hander thereafter. He maintained a fine strike-rate of 87.36 throughout the series, and his dominance left England’s bowlers struggling. Alex Carey Matches: 5Runs: 323Dismissals: 28While the pacers grabbed most of the attention, wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey emerged as the unsung hero of Australia’s success. He enjoyed a career-best series behind the stumps, finishing with 28 dismissals — 27 catches and one stumping. Carey also made vital contributions with the bat, scoring 323, including his maiden Ashes ton (106) in Adelaide, an innings that played a key role in the Aussies securing the Urn. Flops Ben Duckett Matches: 5Runs: 202Ben Duckett was one of the main reasons behind England’s struggles in Australian conditions. The opener averaged just 20.20 and failed to register a single half-century across 10 innings. His inability to see off the new ball repeatedly exposed Joe Root and the middle order to challenging conditions, denying England the solid starts they desperately needed. Zak Crawley Matches: 5Runs: 273 Zak Crawley endured a demoralising start to the series, being dismissed for a duck in both innings of the opening game in Perth. Although the 27-year-old showed flashes of brilliance with half-centuries in Brisbane and Adelaide, he struggled to be consistent throughout the series. Crawley finished with 273 runs at an average of 27.30 and lacked the grit needed to survive a tough five-Test series. Ollie Pope Matches: 3Runs: 125Top-order batter Ollie Pope’s had a difficult tour, described as “frenetic” and “chaotic” by former England captain Nasser Hussain. Struggling at the crucial No. 3 position, Pope managed only 125 runs at an average of 20.83 before being dropped for the final two Tests. His tour was marked by soft dismissals and an inability to adapt to Australia’s bouncy pitches, with a highest score of just 46 in six innings. England eventually replaced him with the young Jacob Bethell, 22, for the Boxing Day Test.
09 January,2026 08:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Rohan KoliAustralia clinched the fifth and final Ashes Test against England on Thursday by five wickets to complete a dominant 4-1 victory after a gruelling series, sending the retiring Usman Khawaja out on a high. The nervy hosts lost five wickets as they chased their 160 target, which they reached after lunch on Day Five with Cameron Green not out on 22 and Alex Carey on 16. Earlier, England were dismissed for 342 on the back of Jacob Bethell’s stylish 154. Smith reflected on his side’s Ashes series triumph with pride and perspective, describing the fifth Test as a fitting end to the hard-fought campaign. He also stated that the team knows how crucial every Test is in terms of WTC, with the side continuing to dominate at the top of the rankings. “It was nice to finish on a high note, and we know the importance of every Test match in terms of WTC. It was a good game of Test cricket and it was a well-earned victory. It was a great wicket out there, it had a bit of everything,” Smith said. Experience, Smith noted, also played a crucial role in Australia’s dominance. “I guess experience counts for a lot in a series like this as well. It’s obviously a big series. As an Australian and English cricketer, it’s the pinnacle. We’ve got an experienced side. We’ve played some really good cricket for the last four or five years, obviously making two World Test Championship finals. “We’ve got some guys in there that still want to keep getting better and improving. It’s just a great side to be a part of,” he said, highlighting Australia’s consistency over recent years and their appearances in two World Test Championship finals. 433No. of wickets claimed by Mitchell Starc in Tests. The pacer equals spinner Rangana Herath for the most scalps among left-handers 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
09 January,2026 08:43 AM IST | Sydney | AgenciesFormer India batting coach Vikram Rathour was on Thursday appointed Sri Lanka’s batting coach for the T20 World Cup beginning on February 7. The World Cup would be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Rathour will assume charge on January 18 and will remain with the team until March 10. Rathour is also a former India international who represented the country in six Tests and seven 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
09 January,2026 08:28 AM IST | Colombo | PTIBen Stokes vowed on Thursday to stay on as England captain and said he believes coach Brendon McCullum will too, while admitting there were “wrongs to put right” after a crushing 4-1 Ashes defeat. “Definitely, I’m as keen as anything to carry on,” he said after defeat in the fifth and final Test in Sydney. “And at the moment the challenge is getting the team back to where we once were in terms of the performances that we were delivering,” he added. Stokes said he expected New Zealander McCullum to still be in the job when they next play a Test in June. “I do expect him to be, but that’s not my decision. If I’m asked my opinion, he’ll be getting my full support and backing,” he said. “I absolutely love working with Baz. He’s a great man and he’s a very, very, very good coach,” he added. McCullum agreed there were “areas to improve” but said he won’t be told what to do. “I will look at it individually and say, ‘What could I have done better?’,” he told the BBC. “Am I for being told what to do? Of course I am not.” Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board said it had launched an immediate and “thorough” review. ECB chief executive Richard Gould released a statement calling the team’s failure to regain the Ashes “deeply disappointing”. “We will take many lessons from this tour and are determined to improve quickly. Our focus is on regaining the Ashes in 2027,” Gould 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
09 January,2026 08:21 AM IST | Sydney | AFPAfter the triumph over England, Australia's Steve Smith said that he is unsure about playing in the rivalry in 2027 in England, as he will be turning 38 years old by then. Speaking about it, the right-handed batsman said, "I'm sure everyone's excited to go there and try and win the Ashes". Smith further stated that he would like to tick off winning an Ashes series in England, and also said that the Australian squad in the previous four to five years has been amazing. "It's something that I certainly haven't done in my career, and something I'd like to tick off, whether I get there or not, it's a different question. The squad we've had over the last four or five years has been amazing. So hopefully we can keep growing, getting better," said the 36-year-old cricketer. The stand-in skipper also heaped praise on wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey by saying that he was unbelievable behind the stumps and also contributed with the willow. "He was unbelievable with both bat and gloves, I think. Just the way he was able to go up to the stumps, in particular to the quicks. Those guys are bowling late 130s [kph] almost hitting 140s at times. And he's just taken them easy. He works incredibly hard on it. And against this opposition, we thought that was a real threat, being able to keep them stuck on their crease and not allow them to dance at our bowlers. And he just did that so well, and the guys bowling to it just reciprocated and put the ball in the right areas," said Smith. Usman Khawaja's statistics Australia's traditional opening batsman, Usman Khawaja, also made his final appearance for the side. The 39-year-old veteran scored 6206 runs in 87 Test matches and 157 innings at an average of 43.39. Khawaja notched up 16 hundreds and 28 half-centuries in the longest format. In ODIs, the left-handed batter made 1554 runs in 40 matches and 39 innings at an average of 42, including two centuries and 12 fifties. In T20Is, the veteran scored 241 runs in nine outings with the help of one half-century. (With ANI Inputs)
08 January,2026 07:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Pretoria Capitals' spinner Roston Chase is hopeful of getting some form heading into the tournament. In the SA20 match against Durban's Super Giants, Chase bagged one wicket by conceding 34 runs in 3.4 overs. The West Indies have not announced their squad for the global showpiece, but Chase is looking forward to delivering top performances for the side. "I'm happy that I can play some good competitive cricket leading up to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Hopefully, I can get some form and carry it straight into the World Cup, and perform well for the West Indies as well," he said. Speaking about the SA20, the spinner said that he loves South Africa and labelled the tournament as an exciting and fast-paced event. "Most of the other times, I was unavailable. And last year, when I was available, I was selected for the ILT20, which clashed with this league. So I never had the chance to really come here. But this was a last-minute option for me. And I love South Africa. I always love watching the tournament. I think it's an exciting, fast-paced tournament. So I wanted to come and play. So I didn't turn it down. And I am glad that I'm experiencing the tournament right now," stated the 33-year-old cricketer. Meanwhile, in the SA20 match against Durban's Super Giants, Pretoria Capitals notched up 201/4 in 20 overs, after batting first. Opener Shai Hope slammed 118 runs off 69 deliveries, along with nine fours and as many sixes. With the ball, Kwena Maphaka, David Wiese, and Gerald Coetzee took one wicket apiece for Durban Super Giants. In response, Jos Buttler's unbeaten 97-run knock went in vain as Durban Super Giants were bundled out for 186 runs in 19.4 overs, losing the contest by 15 runs. Lungi Ngidi and Gideon Peters took three wickets each for the Capitals. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7 and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The West Indies have been placed in Group C along with Bangladesh, England, Italy, and Nepal. The West Indies' tournament opening match is scheduled to be played against Bangladesh on February 7 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. They will meet Italy in their last group stage match on February 19 at the same venue. (With ANI Inputs)
08 January,2026 05:45 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPretoria Capitals captain Keshav Maharaj has opened up about his approach for the T20 World Cup 2026. He will be leading South Africa's spin attack in the global showpiece. Recently, his team defeated Durban's Super Giants in the ongoing SA20 tournament. Speaking about the tournament, he said that it is a wonderful opportunity to get match practice ahead of the marquee tournament. "Not to think too far ahead, but it's a wonderful opportunity for us to get match practice under our belt. We've only played one series in India now. So, it's a wonderful opportunity building up towards that," Maharaj stated. When asked about the nature of the shortest format of the game, the spinner believes in trusting the process and working hard. "Look at T20 cricket, sometimes you go for runs, sometimes you pick up wickets, sometimes you are economical. You keep trusting your processes and keep working hard. Sometimes the wheel does turn, sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, that is life, but I was always in a positive frame of mind," said the 35-year-old cricketer. In the SA20 match against Durban’s Super Giants, Pretoria Capitals notched up 201/4 in 20 overs after batting first. Opener Shai Hope slammed 118 runs off 69 deliveries, along with nine fours and as many sixes. With the ball, Kwena Maphaka, David Wiese, and Gerald Coetzee took one wicket apiece for Durban Super Giants. In response, Jos Buttler's unbeaten 97-run knock went in vain as Durban Super Giants were bundled out for 186 runs in 19.4 overs, losing the contest by 15 runs. Lungi Ngidi and Gideon Peters took three wickets each for the Capitals. The T20 World Cup 2026 will kick off from Februray 7, with the opening clash scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa have been placed in Group D alongside Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. They will begin their campaign against Canada on February 9 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Proteas will play their last group stage match against the United Arab Emirates on February 18 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. (With ANI inputs)
08 January,2026 04:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTeam India batsman Tilak Varma has undergone surgery for a groin issue, which has now triggered acute pain. Following the injury, he will not participate in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. With this, his availability for the initial matches of the T20 World Cup 2026 lingers in doubt. Varma was rushed to the hospital after he complained about the acute pain he experienced. He is with the Hyderabad team for the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. The five-match T20I series between Team India and New Zealand is set to kick off from January 21 in Nagpur. "Tilak Varma reported acute Testicular Pain in Rajkot where he is part of the Hyderabad team for the Vijay Hazare tournament. He was taken to Gokul Hospital and on scan was diagnosed with Testicular Torsion (sudden, intense pain) and was advised immediate surgery," a BCCI official told PTI. "We got an opinion from our specialists who agreed with the same. Tilak Underwent successful surgery and is doing well now. We will update you as soon as we have more information on his recovery and expected time-frame for his return to play post discussion with the medical panel," he added. It is reliably learnt that Varma is certain to be out of the series against New Zealand. Team India's schedule for T20 World Cup 2026 The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. The marquee event is scheduled to kick start from February 7. The defending champions, Team India, will open their global showpiece campaign by playing a match against the United States of America (USA) on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The "Men in Blue" will lock horns against Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The high-octane match between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. India will conclude their group stage matches by playing a clash against the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (WK). (With PTI Inputs)
08 January,2026 02:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
