In the fourth T20I match against Team India, New Zealand emerged victorious by 50 runs at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Having put to chase a target of 216 runs, Team India was bowled out for 165 runs in 18.4 overs. Burly all-rounder Shivam Dube emerged highest run-scorer for the hosts. Facing just 23 balls, he smashed 65 runs, with the help of three boundaries and seven maximums. Rinku Singh also scored 39 runs in 30 balls, including three boundaries and two maximums. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson accumulated 24 runs after facing 15 balls, and also smashed three boundaries and a maximum. New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner claimed three wickets by conceding 26 runs in four overs. Ish Sodhi also chipped in with two wickets and gave away 46 runs in four overs. Along with Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, in his spell of 3.4 overs, bagged two wickets for 33 runs. Matt Henry and Zakary Foulkes registered one wicket each to their names. Earlier, having put to bat first, New Zealand's opening batsman Devon Conway scored 44 runs in 23 balls, with the help of four boundaries and three maximums. Fellow opening batsman Tim Seifert accumulated 62 runs off 36 deliveries, including seven boundaries and three maximums. Rachin Ravindra managed to score just two runs in four balls. Glenn Phillips played a knock of 24 runs in 16 balls, which was laced with three boundaries and a maximum. Daryl Mitchell stayed unbeaten on 39 runs. His knock of 18 deliveries was laced with two boundaries and three maximums. Skipper Mitchell Santner departed after scoring 11 runs in six balls, including a boundary and a maximum. Zakary Foulkes also registered 13 runs off six balls, with the help of a boundary and a maximum. With this, New Zealand posted a total of 215 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Team India's Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav returned with two wickets each. Completing his quota of four overs, Arshdeep was smashed for 33 runs, whereas Kuldeep conceded 39 runs in four overs. Lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi bagged one wicket each.
28 January,2026 11:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the third ODI match against Sri Lanka, England emerged victorious by 53 runs at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. During the match, skipper Harry Brook and stalwart Joe Root registered centuries each to their names. Jacob Bethell also played a knock of 65 runs. Reflecting on the victory, skipper Brook said that having Root in his team helps on a daily basis. "Working on a few things in the nets, and it paid off. Glad me, Rooty and Beth could get us to that total. Awesome effort from everyone. Root is exceptional; to have him in the side helps every day," he said. He also stated that that the pitch in Colombo turned out to be better than they expected. "Not that important, a lot better pitch than we were expecting. Got a good score and managed to defend it. Very happy with how the spinners bowled, they were working in tandem. The batters tried to put the pressure back on in tough conditions. It was a decent wicket! Ended up being better than we thought," added Brook. With the help of their knocks, the "Three Lions" posted 357 runs on board by losing just three wickets in 50 overs. In reply, Pavan Rathnayake scored 121 runs off 115 balls, including 12 boundaries and a maximum. Pathum Nissanka garnered 50 runs in 25 balls, with the help of five boundaries and three maximums. However, their knocks were not enough to help Sri Lanka cruise to victory. The hosts were bowled out for 304 runs in 46.4 overs. With this, the visitors clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1 against Sri Lanka. T20 World Cup 2026: Group B and C teams Both the teams will soon engage in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. England is placed in Group C of the tournament along with Italy, Nepal, Scotland, and the West Indies. On the other hand, Group B consists of Australia, Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. England will begin their campaign against Nepal on February 8 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, whereas Sri Lanka is set to lock horns against Ireland on the same day at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. (With ANI Inputs)
28 January,2026 08:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, stalwart Rohit Sharma feels that having the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh is a big positive for Team India. He said that Arshdeep's biggest strength is swinging the ball and taking early wickets. "It is a big positive to have both Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh together because they always attack for wickets. Arshdeep's biggest strength is swinging the new ball and taking early wickets. He mainly bowls with the new ball and at the death. Starting and finishing are the most important phases, and he is strong in both," he told JioHotstar. "With the new ball, he swings it to get left-handers caught in the slips and targets the pads of right-handers. He has also started taking the ball away from right-handers. These skills are key for a new-ball bowler. He always tries to take wickets, which is why he bowls the first over," he added. The veteran then recollected how Arshdeep played a key role in the finals of the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa. "In the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, he did a great job. I still remember he dismissed Quinton de Kock when he was set and batting well. In the 19th over, he gave away just two or three runs, which built pressure on the South Africans. That is his game, bowling with the new ball and at the death, and he will play a key role for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup," said the 38-year-old cricketer. T20 World Cup 2026: Group A teams Team India is placed in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026 along with teams such as Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States of America (USA). The "Men in Blue" under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav will begin their campaign by playing a clash against the USA on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The high-voltage clash between Team India and Pakistan is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. It will be interesting to see if Team India manage to defend their T20 World Cup title. (With PTI Inputs)
28 January,2026 07:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the fourth T20I match against New Zealand, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl first at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The "Men in Blue" will enter the clash with an aim of securing another win, whereas the "Black Caps" will play for pride. The hosts have made one change where Ishan Kishan will miss out on the clash due to niggle, and Arshdeep Singh is set to feature in the clash. After winning the toss, skipper Suryakumar said, "We’re choosing to bowl first because the wicket looks good and there was plenty of dew last night, with humidity still high. The ball should come on nicely, so chasing feels like the better option for us this evening. Our aim is to continue the positive habits we built last year and improve on what we did well in the last game. This is a beautiful venue with a fantastic crowd, and the boys are energised to put on a strong performance. We’ve made just one change—Arshdeep Singh returns as Ishan Kishan picked up a small niggle in the previous match. Axar still needs time, but with five solid bowling options, the batters know they must shoulder responsibility". On the other hand, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said, "The pitch looks excellent again, and with the dew already settling, it may get tougher for bowlers later on. It’s special to be playing my 250th T20I, and this series has shown how quickly the scoring rates are climbing. India’s quality has been evident across the first three matches, so we know we must be sharper with the ball. We’ve seen how quickly they punish any mistakes, and on a wicket like this, discipline becomes even more important. Given the surface, we’ll need to put up a strong total to stay in the contest. The focus is on adapting quickly and setting the game up with a competitive score". IND vs NZ 4th T20I: Confirmed Playing XI India: Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh. New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.
28 January,2026 06:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Team India cricketer Parthiv Patel heaped praise on wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan by saying that he is making good use of the pace and is batting brilliantly in the format. The left-hander has been in good form and has delivered crucial knocks to help the "Men in Blue" seal the series against New Zealand. He is the fourth-highest run-scorer in the series. In the three T20Is played so far, he has scored 112 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 224.00 and an average of 37.33. With the series already in the bag, the Suryakumar Yadav-led men are all set to lock horns with the "Black Caps" for the fourth T20I. The match is scheduled to be played on Wednesday at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. While speaking on 'Game Plan', JioStar expert Patel said, "As a bowling coach, you tell your bowlers to hit the right length, finishing around the top of off stump. That is where most balls are ending of the New Zealand bowlers. But Ishan Kishan has the skill to use the pace and guide it through the offside. If it is slightly short, he pulls it to mid-wicket or fine leg. That is why he is so successful. He has a lot of runs behind him from domestic cricket, and he is batting brilliantly". The former cricketer also feels that Ishan not putting pressure on himself is the reason behind his success in the format. "He seems to be enjoying his game and not putting extra pressure on himself about selection. That is the reason for his success," he added. The 27-year-old cricketer had a good run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 campaign with Jharkhand, leading them to their first-ever SMAT title. After the conclusion of the series, both teams will engage in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The marquee tournament is scheduled to kick off from February 7. India's squad for the T20I series against New Zealand Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh. (With ANI Inputs)
28 January,2026 06:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer India captain and coach Rahul Dravid believes India are favourites for the upcoming T20 World Cup. “India are playing T20 cricket at a different level. They have had an 80 per cent success rate in the last few years, which is amazing in a format that has so many ups and downs. They clearly start as favourites and will make it to the semi-finals,” Dravid said at a function to release author R Kaushik’s book on Rohit Sharma titled, The Rise of the Hitman, at the Karnataka State Cricket Association, on Tuesday. Dravid credited Rohit for leading India’s white-ball evolution. “In white-ball cricket, there was a stage when run rates were going up and risk-taking was increasing. We needed to adapt and Rohit took responsibility for setting the tempo himself, rather than asking others to do it. When your leader stands up and says, ‘I will do this, even if it comes at the cost of my average,’ it becomes easier to pass that message through the team,” added Dravid. 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
28 January,2026 08:06 AM IST | Bengaluru | AgenciesPakistan should refrain from spoiling its relation with ICC and support to Bangladesh must not come at the cost of national cricket, former players and Board officials said as PCB deferred its decision on participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has set Friday or Monday as the deadline for confirming Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup, a situation which emerged after Bangladesh’s ouster from the tournament. Former Pakistan Test captain Mohammad Hafeez felt. “PCB must send Pakistan team for the World Cup” while former PCB Chairman Khalid Mahmood and secretary Arif Ali Abbasi said “there is see no logic in not sending the team to the World Cup.” 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
28 January,2026 08:06 AM IST | Karachi | PTIYoung middle-order batter Vihaan Malhotra showed admirable composure to rediscover his touch and compile a fine century, while Abhigyan Kundu extended his sublime run of form as India stormed to a commanding 204-run victory over Zimbabwe in their opening Super Six match of the U-19 World Cup here on Tuesday.India, after an all-win group-stage campaign in which they emphatically defeated the USA, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, continued their aggressive brand of cricket to pile up a mammoth 352 for 8. The innings was anchored by Malhotra’s cautious yet confident unbeaten 109 (107 balls, 7x4) while Kundu chipped in with a fluent 61 (62 balls, 5x4, 1x6), as the hapless Zimbabwe bowlers were taken apart with alarming ease. India’s pace-bowling duo didn’t let up, as RS Ambrish (2-19) and Henil Patel (1-25) bowled the first nine overs in tandem to completely overwhelm the Zimbabwean batters, reducing them to 24 for 3 by the ninth over. Zimbabwe were eventually bundled out for 148 in 37.4 overs, giving India a superb start to their Super Six campaign. India carried four points into the Super Six, having beaten New Zealand and Bangladesh, the other teams to have qualified. Since USA didn’t qualify, India’s points weren’t carried over. Skipper Ayush Mhatre (3-14) bowled his part-time off-breaks to run through the late-order, completing the annihilation, while left-arm seamer Udhav Mohan also chipped in with three wickets. Brief scoresIndia U-19 352-8 (V Malhotra 109*, A Kundu 61, V Sooryavanshi 52; T Chimugoro 3-49) beat Zimbabwe U-19 148 all out in 37.4 overs (L Chiwaula 62; A Mhatre 3-14, U Mohan 3-20) by 204 runs 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
28 January,2026 08:06 AM IST | Bulawayo | PTIMumbai Indians all-rounder Hayley Matthews commended her teammate Nat Sciver-Brunt after the England captain became the first-ever cricketer to score a century in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), achieving the feat on Monday against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The 131-run stand between Matthews and Sciver-Brunt laid the platform for MI to finish with a strong total of 199. The Caribbean all-rounder arrived at this year’s WPL with the business end of the tournament approaching and is peaking at the right time. Hayley Matthews MI delivered a commanding performance. In a crucial match, their senior players stepped up and performed when it mattered most. Sciver-Brunt set a new record with the first WPL century, while Matthews and Shabnim Ismail tore through the RCB top order, taking the first five wickets and securing a 15-run win. RCB’s struggle RCB struggled early after an aggressive bowling spell, and the chase quickly fell apart in the Powerplay as they lost half their team. Richa Ghosh, Nadine de Klerk, and Arundhati Reddy fought back, with the wicketkeeper-batter scoring 35 runs in the last two overs, but the target was too high to reach. “It was definitely nice to watch from the other end when she [Sciver-Brunt] was going four after four after four. I do love batting with her. We flow off each other really well. For her to get the hundred today was quite deserving. With all the innings she has played, not only this year but over the last four years. She has probably been the best batter in this tournament. Quite fitting that she was able to get the first one,” Matthews said at the post-match press conference. Matthews is returning from injury and a period away from the game, and the Caribbean all-rounder admitted the early part of the season tested her patience. “Coming back from injury, being away from the game for a while, I had to get back into things. In the first three games with the bat, I felt I was in a good place but wasn’t getting the results. So it was just about keeping the confidence high,” Matthews said. ‘Good understanding’ The understanding between Matthews and Sciver-Brunt was evident, with both players complementing each other’s strengths and matchups against the RCB bowling attack. She said: “I think we have a really good relationship at the crease. We are two really experienced players and I feel we certainly compliment each other at the crease really well.” 57Number of balls needed for MI’s Nat Sciver-Brunt to score maiden WPL century 319Runs scored by Nat Sciver-Brunt in WPL-4 with a strike rate of 154.85 10No. of 90-plus scores registered in the WPL before Nat Sciver-Brunt’s century 1No. of centuries scored by Nat Sciver-Brunt in T20s 8883No. of T20 runs scored by Nat Sciver-Brunt before scoring a century — the most by a woman 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
28 January,2026 08:05 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSBowling coach Jacob Oram on Tuesday hoped that New Zealand will be able to put aside the drubbing by India in the ongoing T20I series and peak during next month’s T20 World Cup. When asked how the New Zealanders stay calm under presure, Oram said: “We have an ability to stay calm amidst the storm that is currently happening and that is part and parcel of who we are as a team and probably as New Zealanders as well. We don’t get too high or low and we know we’re not playing as well as we can.” “At the same time we know that this Indian team is so good. So, we’ve got to make sure that we keep our eye on the longer term. I think that’s part of the reason why we are able to peak for ICC events. And if that happens in February, March, then that’s great,” he 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
28 January,2026 08:05 AM IST | Visakhapatnam | AgenciesIndia bowling coach Morne Morkel said rotation of bowlers in the ongoing T20I series vs New Zealand was not just about workload management, but also to prevent opposition teams from strategising against them in the upcoming T20 World Cup. India have fielded different bowling combinations in the three T20Is against the Kiwis so far with pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and lead spinner Varun Chakravarthy being rested at various stages. “We’ve got a handful of bowlers that can bowl in every situation. Part of the thinking for us, leading into the World Cup, was to look at different combinations. We don’t want teams to have set plans against us,” Morkel said on the eve of the fourth T20I against New Zealand here. 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
28 January,2026 08:04 AM IST | Visakhapatnam | PTIADVERTISEMENT
