India's top-order batter Pratika Rawal has advocated for more Test matches for the Indian women's team. The southpaw believes that the team will improve in the longest format of the game after playing more competitive Test matches.Pratika Rawal, the Indian top-order batter, made her Test debut earlier this month in Australia. Rawal scored a valiant half-century, scoring 63 runs off 137 balls in the second innings, to help India avoid an innings defeat.Speaking on the sidelines of the Sports Journalists Federation of India conference hosted by the Delhi Sports Journalists Association on Monday, the 25-year-old said Test cricket is the best format of the game"Test cricket is the most beautiful format. Since childhood, my father and coach have told me that performing well in this format is very important. When you are groomed in that manner, it naturally becomes your favourite format," Rawal told PTI.Urging for more women's Tests, Pratika said increasing the number of games would greatly benefit players. Rawal believes that the Indian women's team will improve in the longest format of the game if they play Test cricket consistently."I have watched many videos of these great batters. The way they used to play in Test cricket has always inspired me. The more Test matches we play, the better it will be. The experience of playing Test cricket not only improves you as a cricketer but also helps you grow as an individual," she added. Pratika Rawal enjoyed her maiden Naman Awards experience Pratika Rawal was a part of the ODI World Cup team before being ruled out of the tournament from the knockout stages due to an injury. The southpaw was part of the team felicitated during the BCCI Naman Awards 2026."It was my first award ceremony with the BCCI, and the entire evening was wonderful. Such recognition motivates players. The way the BCCI is honouring champions is a big step for Indian cricket. Various Indian teams won five global trophies last season, and that shows how well cricket is doing in the country," Rawal said.Pratika described the World Cup victory as the most memorable moment of her career and stated that the emotion hasn't gone away. "That feeling has not gone away yet, and I don't think it should. It should remain memorable forever," she said.(With PTI Input)
17 March,2026 12:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHarshit Rana is set to miss the majority of the Indian Premier League 2026 after suffering a ligament strain in his right knee during India's T20 World Cup warm-up match against South Africa.The KKR pacer is still recovering from the knee surgery he had last month and will probably miss a large portion of the next IPL. According to an ESPNCricinfo report, there is 'no firm date of return earmarked by the BCCI medical team yet" Rana was part of India's T20 World Cup squad but pulled up against South Africa in the warm-up match. Mohammed Siraj was slotted in as a replacement, and India ended up winning the World Cup for a record third time.During the Naman BCCI awards 2026, Rana was awarded the Best International Debutant for 2024-25. Rana's absence will be a major setback for KKR, who are already dealing with multiple fitness concerns. Kolkata Knight Riders' fast bowling conundrum KKR have been hit with a fast bowling conundrum as fitness issues and injuries have halted their progress. Matheesha Pathirana, the Sri Lankan pacer, has been recovering from a calf strain he suffered during the T20 World Cup. At first, the injury was not serious, but his participation in the IPL is still in doubt.Due to tense geopolitical ties between Bangladesh and India earlier this year, the BCCI ordered KKR to release left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman. As a result, KKR is also without Rahman.Since then, the team has replaced Rahman with Zimbabwean speedster Blessing Muzarabani. Muzarabani chose not to play for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League because he will be joining the KKR as an injury replacement.Vaibhav Arora, Akash Deep, Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, and all-rounders Cameron Green and Ramandeep Singh are among KKR's other pace options.KKR will begin their campaign against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29. KKR have historically struggled against MI but will be keen to change that record. After that, KKR will host Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants in the opening phase of the tournament. (With PTI input)
17 March,2026 11:54 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRohit Sharma has joined the Mumbai Indians training camp ahead of IPL 2026. The former Indian captain was seen preparing for the upcoming IPL season. In a video posted by MI, Rohit Sharma could be seen hitting aggressive pull shots after joining the MI training camp.The Mumbai Indians' 2026 training formally began on Monday under the direction of Mahela Jayawardene and bowling coaches Paras Mhambrey and Lasith Malinga. Carl Hopkinson, the fielding coach, was also present at the training.Rohit Sharma scored 418 runs in 15 matches during the IPL 2025, playing a significant role in the Mumbai Indians reaching the playoffs. Shaana and Lord’s banter is already here 😂 pic.twitter.com/8SZHCH0hit — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 17, 2026 Since his retirement from T20 and Test cricket, Sharma is focused on ODIs with an eye on the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2027. Rohit Sharma will hope to play a vital part in MI's journey towards the IPL title for the first time in 6 years. MI schedule for the IPL 2026 As the Mumbai Indians (MI) get ready for their IPL 2026 campaign, the search for a record-breaking sixth star officially begins. The five-time winners are in the thick of things early on, juggling high-stakes home games with difficult away journeys after the BCCI recently released the first round of the schedule.MI, led by Hardik Pandya, will play their first game of the season against the Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 at their "fortress," the Wankhede Stadium. They will face the Delhi Capitals and the Rajasthan Royals before the big game against the defending champions, RCB, at the Wankhede Stadium.The match versus the reigning champions, RCB, on April 12 is without a doubt the window's main event. Virat Kohli and RCB will return to Mumbai after their famous win against MI last year. RCB will aim to be just the second team after MI and CSK to defend their IPL title. MI supporters will hope that the core group of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav can guide the team towards a record sixth IPL title.
17 March,2026 11:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniAfter being discarded by England last year, all-rounder Liam Livingstone claimed he was left out in the cold and that the current administration doesn't think about players who aren't in the core group.Livingstone has not been part of the English side since playing for them at the Champions Trophy. The 32-year-old only managed to score 33 runs and took three wickets across the three games. He has been dropped from the English squad since.The Englishman, who has represented his country in 60 T20 Internationals, 39 ODIs, and one test, called that tour the "worst experience" of his career and claimed that when he was dropped, team management's communication broke down.Livingstone recalled a phone call from Coach Brendon McCullum informing him that he was being dropped from the squad back in May. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, the English all-rounder claimed that the phone call lasted less than a minute."I asked why; they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz (McCullum). Brooky (Harry Brook) sent me a text. Keysy (Director of Cricket, Rob Key) said nothing, said I’ll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day, and he said he was busy at a test camp at Loughborough, and then I didn’t hear from him until the end of September." Livingstone said.The English all-rounder added that the current management group only cares about a player as long as they are part of the team."That probably sums that group up as a collective. That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not in, no one cares about you," he added. Livingstone recalls his Champions Trophy struggles The cricketer also recalled his struggles during the Champions Trophy 2025 and said that when he asked for help from the McCullum-led coaching staff, he was told that he 'cared too much'.“I was asking for help, and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit, and everything will take care of itself. When things don't go right, of course, you're going to care; if I didn't care, then I probably wouldn't want to play the sport." Livingstone said.
17 March,2026 10:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniFormer Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal launched a scathing criticism of the national side after their defeat to Bangladesh in the three-match ODI series. Pakistan, led by Shaheen Afridi, lost the series 2-1 after suffering an 11-run defeat in the deciding match in Dhaka on Sunday. Pakistan entered the series without several senior players, including Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, as the team management opted to give younger players opportunities. It was later revealed that the duo had been dealing with injuries sustained during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. However, the relatively inexperienced lineup struggled to make the most of the opportunity and failed to handle the pressure in crucial moments. Reacting strongly to the outcome, Akmal expressed serious concerns over the state of Pakistan cricket and questioned the lack of accountability within the Pakistan Cricket Board. “For god's sake, think about Pakistan cricket. Just see the levels we have gone down to. The Netherlands must be thinking that if they get to play a three-match ODI series against Pakistan, they can attain Test status, as they can also beat us. You have made a mockery of your cricket. You people just don't care,” Akmal said on the ‘Game Plan’ show. Akmal also criticised the team’s tactical decisions during the decisive encounter, stating, “You have lost the match. What experiments are you doing? It was a good pitch. Why did you choose to bowl? Why didn't you bat? They would have scored 350. Litton Das was slow in the end, that's why Bangladesh got restricted to 290. It was a series decider. When you do not win the series against teams, how will you progress? ICC trophy chori karke leke aani hai? ( You plan to steal the ICC trophy?).” Pakistan’s struggles have not been limited to the bilateral series in Bangladesh. The team also endured a disappointing campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, failing to progress to the semi-finals. During the tournament, the Men in Green lost their group-stage clash against India and later suffered another defeat to England in the Super 8 stage. Their Super 8 fixture against New Zealand was washed out due to rain. Pakistan still had a mathematical chance of advancing before their final Super 8 encounter against Sri Lanka, where they required a victory by at least 65 runs to secure a semi-final berth. Although Pakistan won the match by five runs, the margin proved insufficient to keep their hopes alive. The exit marked the fourth consecutive ICC tournament in which Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals, further intensifying scrutiny over the team’s performances and long-term direction. 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
17 March,2026 09:12 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSThe Karnataka government on Monday gave formal approval to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to host the 2026 Indian Premier League matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, ending months of uncertainty following the stampede after the team's maiden title win. The 19th edition of the world's biggest T20 league begins on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their first match here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the tournament opener, as per the schedule. The formal approval comes after a meeting chaired by Karnataka home minister Parameshwar with the Expert Committee, which was constituted by the state government, and representatives from the KSCA, RCB and their event management firm DNA. "During the meeting, the Expert Committee presented its report outlining the preparedness and compliance measures undertaken at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium," KSCA's official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya informed in a statement. "Based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee and after reviewing the arrangements in detail, the Hon'ble Home Minister has formally accorded approval for the conduct of the upcoming IPL matches at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru." "The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) places on record its sincere gratitude to the Hon'ble Home Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwar, for his leadership, guidance and support in facilitating this approval," he added. Apart from the opening fixture of the upcoming season , the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is also slated to host the RCB Unboxing event as well as the tournament's opening ceremony. RCB had earlier announced that it would play five of their seven home matches in Bengaluru, while two will be played at Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. The KSCA also expressed its gratitude towards the members of the Expert Committee. "Our special thanks are also due to Shri Sreemant Kumar Singh, Member Secretary of the Expert Committee and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, for his proactive coordination and for ensuring that all safety, security and operational aspects were comprehensively evaluated," the release said. "KSCA further expresses its sincere appreciation to all the distinguished members of the Expert Committee and the officials associated with the Expert Committee and its sub-committees, whose careful assessment and constructive recommendations have been instrumental in enabling this important decision." At least 11 people were killed and more than 30 injured in a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025 during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebrations, raising serious concerns over crowd management. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Karnataka government temporarily banned sporting events with spectators at the venue until safety measures were upgraded to international standards. A judicial inquiry later found the RCB franchise, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and event management firm DNA Entertainment responsible, describing their conduct as recklessness bordering on gross negligence in organising the celebrations. 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
17 March,2026 09:10 AM IST | Bengaluru | PTINew Zealand batter Bevon Jacobs has been ruled out of Tuesday's second T20I against South Africa at the Seddon Park due to a left knee injury, said New Zealand Cricket (NZC). NZC added that Katene Clarke would join the Blackcaps squad as a cover for Jacobs. Clarke was initially going to join the New Zealand team for fourth and fifth T20I games alongside Dane Cleaver, Jayden Lennox and Tom Latham. “Jacobs left the ground on Sunday night during the first T20I after falling on his left knee while fielding. Subsequent scans revealed bone bruising on the side of his knee. Further assessment is required to determine Jacobs’ return-to-play timeline,” added the NZC in a statement. The New Zealand squad arrived in Hamilton on Monday ahead of a T20I double-header at Seddon Park on Tuesday. Before the men’s match at 7:15pm local time, New Zealand women's side will take on South Africa at 2:15pm local time. Previously, NZC said that leg-spinner Ish Sodhi was ruled out of the ongoing series against South Africa after breaking his thumb in training. Sodhi sustained the injury while bowling at the Bay Oval on Saturday, with scans confirming a fracture that will sideline him for at least four weeks. As a result, Sodhi missed the opening match, where Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie shared spin duties in a seven-wicket defeat for the Blackcaps, where they were bowled out for 91. NZC had also said they would not call up a replacement for Sodhi, especially with Lockie Ferguson linking up with the squad for the second and third matches. Rest of the three T20I games in the series will be played at Eden Park in Auckland, Sky Stadium in Wellington and Hagley Oval in Christchurch. 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
17 March,2026 08:55 AM IST | Hamilton | IANSFormer India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised the decision of SunRisers Leeds to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in the 2026 auction of The Hundred, saying Indian franchise owners should avoid recruiting players from Pakistan due to the sensitive political relationship between the two nations. Gavaskar also questioned whether sporting success should outweigh national concerns, arguing that Indian-owned entities must remain mindful of the wider implications of such decisions, as the money earned by Abrar could be used against India. “The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising. Ever since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, Indian franchise owners have simply ignored Pakistani players for the IPL," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day. Gavaskar suggested that the issue goes beyond cricketing merit. According to him, the financial trail, which starts from player payments to government tax revenue, creates a moral dilemma for Indian owners when dealing with Pakistani sportspersons. "Although belated, the realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government, which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians, is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons," he wrote. "Whether it is an Indian entity or an overseas subsidiary of the entity that is making the payment, if the owner is Indian, then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that,” Gavaskar added. The former India opener also pointed out that while team management may look at signings purely from a cricketing perspective, franchise owners must weigh broader national implications before making such decisions. “Daniel Vettori, the coach of the team in The Hundred who hails from New Zealand, may not understand this simple dynamic and so may have wanted some Pakistani players in his team, but surely the owner should have had an understanding of the situation and discouraged the purchase. Is winning a tournament in a format that no other country plays in much more important than Indian lives?” he noted. SunRisers Leeds secured Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 (approximately Rs 2.34 crore) during the auction held in London on Thursday. The franchise is owned by the Sun Group, led by businessman Kalanithi Maran, with his daughter Kavya Maran representing the team at the auction table alongside head coach Daniel Vettori. The signing has sparked widespread criticism from fans in India, who have also termed the franchise as anti-national. Gavaskar also warned the franchise that the impact of the signing might be seen in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, and the fans may boycott the matches or stage a protest. "It won't be a surprise that for every game that this team plays, whether at home or away, there will be massive demonstrations by Indian fans protesting at this hard-to-believe buying. In fact, it won't be a surprise that despite having some of the most attractive stroke makers in their team, the crowds may stay away and show their disapproval of the decision," Gavaskar concluded. 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
17 March,2026 08:54 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSKerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar honoured Indian cricketer Sanju Samson at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday after the right-handed batter's immense contribution to India's T20 World Cup 2026-winning campaign. In an X post, the Kerala Governor said that he honoured Sanju Samson by draping a shawl over him and presenting a kasavu mundu, an idol of Lord Padmanabhaswamy, and the autobiography 'Playing It My Way' by Sachin Tendulkar. Hon’ble Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar honoured Shri Sanju Samson at Lok Bhavan. The Governor received Sanju by draping a shawl over him and presented him a kasavu mundu and an idol of Lord Padmanabhaswamy, and the autobiography of Sachin Tendulkar, 'Playing It My Way'. pic.twitter.com/hiGnrqUJR4 — Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) March 16, 2026 "Hon'ble Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar honoured Shri Sanju Samson at Lok Bhavan. The Governor received Sanju by draping a shawl over him and presented him a kasavu mundu and an idol of Lord Padmanabhaswamy, and the autobiography of Sachin Tendulkar, 'Playing It My Way'," reads the X post by the Kerala Governor. Sanju Samson was key to India's emphatic finish at the World Cup and was named the Player of the Tournament. Samson amassed 321 runs in five innings in the tournament at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, hitting 27 fours and 24 sixes and ended as the third-highest run-getter in the T20 WC. He also surpassed Virat Kohli's total of 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup edition to have the most runs by an Indian during a single T20 World Cup edition. While Samson could not make big scores in his first two matches of the World Cup, the right-hand batter kicked off his scoring spree with an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies in the final Super Eight clash, and a virtual knockout. He then piled on 89 against England in the semi-final and another 89 in the final against New Zealand. Coming to the T20 World Cup 2026, India beat New Zealand by 96 runs on March 8 to successfully defend their T20 World Cup title. The victory made India the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil, the first to win consecutive titles after their 2024 win, and the first to lift the trophy three times (2007, 2024, and 2026). 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
17 March,2026 08:53 AM IST | Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) | ANIIndia opener Rohit Sharma enjoyed a relaxing vacation in Maldives with wife Ritika, daughter Samaira and son Ahaan. He Instagrammed a series of photos of their recent trip. In one of the photos, he can be seen chilling on the beach with Ritika. The post received 4.6 million ‘likes.’ View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohit Sharma (@rohitsharma45)
17 March,2026 08:47 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to begin from March 28. So far, the schedule of only first 20 matches has been released due to state elections. Ahead of the cash-rich league, former Team India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that Mumbai Indians' lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah is under pressure with the responsibilities he carries. "If your name is Jasprit Bumrah, the pressure comes automatically. He is that kind of bowler. He creates an impact in every game, guarantees you a wicket, and restricts the opposition. That responsibility brings a lot of pressure because his four overs are the most precious thing for MI. Bowl one over in the powerplay, keep one for the middle phase and two at the death. That is Bumrah. That pressure is not going anywhere," he said. He then explained that whether Trent Boult or Deepak Chahar deliver performances, Bumrah will still have pressure on his shoulders. He also said that Shardul Thakur is a good replacement for Chahar. "Whether Boult bowls well or Deepak Chahar is fully fit, Bumrah's pressure stays with him. But if Boult is fit, MI will want to continue with him. Fit, available, in form. They will want the new ball to move around a little with Boult and Deepak Chahar. Shardul Thakur is a capable replacement for Chahar, but it does not necessarily mean that he plays ahead of him. A fit Deepak Chahar, a fit Trent Boult, Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya will be MI's four starting pacers. Corbin Bosch is waiting in the wings. He is a very good all-rounder. But again, you cannot play all overseas players," Chopra explained. The "Paltan" will begin their campaign on March 29 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians: Full squad Rohit Sharma, Trent Boult, Suryakumar Yadav, Quinton de Kock (WK), Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Corbin Bosch, Hardik Pandya (C), Jasprit Bumrah, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Mayank Markande, Sherfane Rutherford, Raghu Sharma, Atharva Ankolekar, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (WK), Allah Ghazanfar, Naman Dhir, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar. (With ANI Inputs)
16 March,2026 09:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1773731282148_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Pratika Rawal (Pic: BCCI Women)")
-1773728472616_d.png "Harshit Rana (File Pic)")
-1773727143914_d.png "Rohit Sharma (File pic)")
-1773721903255_d.png "Liam Livingstone (Pic: PTI)")
