Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner displayed strong batting as the team put on a massive 207 against UP Warriorz in the second match of the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 on Saturday. Having been asked to bat first, Gujarat saw a good start. Sophie Devine slammed 14 runs in the second over against UPW speedster Shikha Pandey. After the first four overs, the Giants were 40/0. However, Warriorz got the much-needed breakthrough as veteran spinner Sophie Ecclestone clean bowled Beth Mooney (13 off 12 balls, including one four) during the fifth over. In the very next over, pacer Pandey dismissed Sophie Devine for 38 off 20 balls. Devine's innings included five fours and two sixes. Gujarat reached 56/2 at the end of six overs. Giants also registered their third-best score in the power play in WPL. Captain Gardner and Anushka Sharma stabilised the innings as the Giants reached 90/2 in 10 overs. During the 13th over, speedster Kranti Gaud conceded 18 runs as Garnder and Sharma slammed boundaries. In the very next over, Anushka slammed two fours, and Gardner hit two sixes against leg-spinner Asha Sobhana with Gujarat reaching 139/2 in 14 overs. Gardner reached her sixth WPL fifty during the third ball of the 15th over as Giants crossed the 150-run mark. Gardner also became the batter with the most fifty-plus scores for Gujarat Giants, surpassing Beth Mooney (5), and Laura Wolvaardt (3). During the 16th over, Deandra Dottin broke the 100-run stand after she dismissed Anushka for 44 runs. She had made the runs from 30 balls with help of seven fours. Anushka Sharma's 44 is the highest by a Gujarat Giants batter on WPL debut. The previous highest was Dani Gibson's 34 runs last year. In the very next over, Ecclestone removed captain Garnder, who smashed 65 off 41 balls and the innings included six fours and three sixes. Towards the end, Bharti Fulmali's unbeaten 14 and Georgia Wareham's blistering unbeaten knock of 27 helped Gujarat post a mammoth 207/4 on the board. Sophie Ecclestone (2/32), Deandra Dottin (1/47) and Shikha Pandey (1/29) were among the wicket-takers. GG: 207/4 (Ashleigh Gardner 65, Anushka Sharma 44, Sophie Ecclestone 2/32) vs UPW. 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.
10 January,2026 06:22 PM IST | Navi Mumbai | ANIIndia batter Shreyas Iyer had a brief scare off the field after narrowly avoiding a dog bite while interacting with fans at an airport, just days ahead of his expected return to international cricket. The incident, captured on video and widely shared across social media platforms, shows the 31-year-old narrowly avoiding a dog bite while interacting with fans at an airport. In the viral clip, Iyer is seen patiently signing autographs before being introduced to a fan’s white pet dog. As he leaned forward to pat the animal, the dog suddenly reacted aggressively, forcing Iyer to swiftly pull his hand away. The fan restrained the dog immediately, and Iyer, visibly startled but unharmed, laughed it off and moved on, much to the relief of those around him. Meanwhile, Iyer has received clearance from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru to join the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11. His participation had earlier been subject to fitness clearance following a spleen injury sustained during the ODI series against Australia in October. The injury occurred while attempting a full-length diving catch, after which he was rushed to hospital with internal bleeding. The seriousness of the injury ruled him out of domestic and international action, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the home ODI series against South Africa Iyer, who is India’s ODI vice-captain, has since returned to competitive action, captaining Mumbai in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, and is set to bolster India’s middle order in the upcoming series. (inputs taken from NDTV Sports and ANI)
10 January,2026 05:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia star Jemimah Rodrigues, now prepared to take on her role as captain, is eager to lead Delhi Capitals, who have reached the finals three times, in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 and anticipates a successful season. Jemimah, one of the stars of India's triumph in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup a few months ago, with a majestic century against Australia in the semi-finals, has been a standout performer for Delhi Capitals since the start of the WPL, helping them reach three successive finals. The 24-year-old right-handed batter has been promoted to the captaincy for WPL 2026, with the franchise deciding to let go of Australian great Meg Lanning, their captain for the first three editions of the event. Jemimah discussed her leadership role at Delhi Capitals on Jiohotstar, recognising Lanning’s enduring influence. She mentioned that taking over the position from Lanning will be an inspiring experience. Ahead of Delhi Capitals' opening match in the WPL 2026 against defending champions Mumbai Indians, Jemimah shared her thoughts on replacing a legend like Lanning and embracing the leadership role. "I met Meg Lanning, and it felt weird to see her wearing the yellow jersey of the UP Warriorz. I have to say the impact Meg had on our franchise, the Delhi Capitals, and the standards and culture she set was huge. I learned so much from her. I even picked her brain about captaincy," said Jemimah. She also said that her experience of leading her state side will be useful while leading Delhi Capitals, and added that the extra responsibility brings out the best in her. "This new role as captain is exciting. I am also a little nervous because it is new. But I have led my domestic side for a while. I love leading because that extra responsibility brings out my best. My message to the Delhi Capitals is the same. We have played amazing cricket and have an amazing support staff. We just keep working hard and doing the right things, and I know things will fall into place. That is our energy," Jemimah added. Delhi Capitals will open their WPL campaign against the Mumbai Indians and have a lot to look forward to, having lost to them in two finals of the first three editions of the competition. 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.
10 January,2026 02:12 PM IST | Navi Mumbai | IANSThough the Mumbai Indians (MI) top-order failed to provide a dominating start against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), their No.5 and No. 6 batters, Nicola Carey (29-ball 40, 4x4) and Sajeevan Sajana (25-ball 45, 7x4, 1x6) did well to help the defending champions post 154-6 in the Women’s Premier League-4 opening encounter at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday. Put in to bat, MI lost their top three batters, including opener Gunalan Kamalini (28-ball 32, 5x4) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20, 1x4, 1x6), by the halfway mark with the scoreboard reading 63-3. However, Sajana and left-hander Carey shouldered the responsibility well, stitching a vital 82-run stand off just 49 balls. At the time of going to press, RCB were 82-5 in 11.4 overs. RCB’s India wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh showcased some exemplary glovework when she dismissed MI’s one-drop batter Nat Sciver-Brunt (4) with a quick stumping off medium pacer Nadine de Klerk (4-26). Ghosh played a key role again when she took a sharp catch to dismiss Harmanpreet off De Klerk.
10 January,2026 08:27 AM IST | Navi Mumbai | Subodh MayureWhen Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet Kaur arrived at the ground on the eve of their WPL-4 opening game on Thursday, the India captain had said: “DY Patil is always very special to all of us, [and] we love coming here.” Fans too feel the same way, as was evident on Friday with all roads leading to the stadium for the MI versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) tournament-opener. A large crowd turned up for this match and credit for this increasing popularity must go to the Indian women’s team’s maiden ICC ODI World Cup triumph at this very ground last November. In fact, most seats in the house were filled up much before the start of the game. Nashik-based MI supporters Chetan Bachaav (left) and Ajay Patil. PICS/SUBODH MAYURE Ajay Patil and his friend Chetan Bachaav, part of a group of 24 MI fans who travelled here from Nashik to watch their favourite cricketers, were excited to witness the WPL-4 opener. “We tried to get tickets during the Women’s World Cup final, but failed. This time, we managed to get all the 24 tickets we needed for this game. We took leave today [Friday] from our respective offices to come for this game. I’m expecting Harmanpreet to bat well and help MI win today,” Bachaav told mid-day before the start of the match on Friday. Interestingly, there were many fans sporting Virat Kohli’s RCB jersey. The RCB women’s team skipper Smriti Mandhana had her fair share of fans too. Kolhapur-based Prem Sangar and Akshay Sangar travelled all the way specially to watch their favourite women’s cricketer Mandhana. “We have come here to support RCB. Virat is our favourite cricketer, as is our Sangli star Smriti. We are confident RCB will win today,” said Prem.
10 January,2026 08:27 AM IST | Navi Mumbai | Subodh MayureSenior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma looked in good touch as India went through a rigorous training session here on Friday, ahead of their three-match ODI series vs New Zealand. The ODI series starting here on Sunday will be followed by a long T20I season, which includes a five-match series against the Kiwis, the T20 World Cup, and then the Indian Premier League. Both Kohli and Rohit spent nearly one-and-a-half hours against Indian pacers, spinners and throw-down specialists after playing two matches each in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Having struck 77 and 131 in the two matches of the premier domestic competition, Kohli went hard against the Indian spinners and pacers alike. However, India’s middle-order mainstay Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, as well as pacer Mohammed Siraj, weren’t a part of the three-hour training session, having played for their respective state teams in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Thursday. 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
10 January,2026 08:13 AM IST | Vadodara | PTIA senior Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official calling former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal “an Indian agent” has not gone down well with the players in the country. Tamim had urged the country’s Cricket Board to avoid being driven by “public emotion” while deciding the national team’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup in India, as any such call would have an “impact 10 years down the line”. Bangladesh have expressed reluctance to tour India for the event starting February 7 and want their matches to be shifted to co-host Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. This was after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders on instructions of the BCCI for unspecified reasons amid attacks on Hindus here. ‘Critical situation’ “The situation is a bit critical at the moment, and making a sudden comment right now is difficult. But one thing you must keep in mind is that many issues can often be resolved through dialogue if everyone comes together,” Tamim was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “You have to consider where Bangladesh stands in world cricket and what the future of Bangladesh cricket could be and then make decisions accordingly,” he said. Bangladesh sports ministry advisor Asif Nazrul has taken a hard-line position on the change of venue. M Nazmul Islam, chairman of the BCB finance committee, called the left-hander opener “an Indian agent” in a Facebook post. “This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent,” he wrote. CWAB slams remark The post received immediate backlash from former and current cricketers, including Taskin Ahmed, Momimul Haque and Taijul Islam. Even the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) expressed shock at Nazmul’s comments. “A comment made by BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal has come to the attention of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh. We are stunned, shocked, and outraged by it. Such a remark by a board official about the most successful opener in Bangladesh’s history is utterly condemnable. Such comments about any cricketer of the country are unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricketing community,” the players’ body said in a statement. FiveNo of IPL teams Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has played for 70No of Tests played by Tamim Iqbal. He has represented Bangladesh in 243 ODIs and 78 T20Is 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.
10 January,2026 08:12 AM IST | Dhaka | PTIIn the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians (MI), the Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a stunning victory by three wickets at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Having put to chase a target of 155 runs, Grace Harris and skipper Smriti Mandhana opened the innings for RCB. Facing 12 balls, Harris smashed 25 runs, which was laced with four boundaries and a maximum. Mandhana accumulated 18 runs in 13 balls, including four boundaries. Later, premier all-rounder Nadine de Klerk played a match-winning knock of an unbeaten 63 runs off 44 deliveries. Her knock was laced with seven boundaries and two maximums. Arundhati Reddy also scored 20 runs in 25 balls, with the help of two boundaries. Riding on de Klerk's knock, RCB scored 157 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr bagged two wickets each for the Mumbai Indians. Bowling four overs each, Carey conceded 35 runs, and Kerr leaked 13 runs. Nat Sciver-Brunt, Shabnim Ismail, and Amanjot Kaur claimed one wicket each. Saika Ishaque went wicketless in the WPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Earlier, MI had posted a target of 155 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs. Opening the innings for the "Paltan", Amelia Kerr departed early on just four runs in 15 balls. Fellow opening batswoman Gunalan Kamalini accumulated 32 runs off 28 deliveries, which was laced with five boundaries. Nicola Carey and Sajeevan Sajana delivered crucial knocks for the team. Facing 29 balls, Carey registered 40 runs, including four boundaries, whereas Sajana played a knock of 45 runs off 25 balls. Her knock also included seven boundaries and a maximum. Having completed her quota of four overs, RCB's Lauren Bell conceded 14 runs and claimed one wicket. Shreyanka Patil also bowled four overs and bagged one wicket by giving away 32 runs. Nadine de Klerk, in her spell of four overs, picked up four wickets by conceding 26 runs. Linsey Smith, Arundhati Reddy, and Radha Yadav went wicketless in the WPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians. Smith bowled two overs and leaked 23 runs. Arundhati gave away 37 runs in four overs, and Radha was smashed for 21 runs in two overs.
09 January,2026 11:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI) posted a target of 155 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Opening the innings for the "Paltan", Amelia Kerr departed early on just four runs in 15 balls. Fellow opening batswoman Gunalan Kamalini accumulated 32 runs off 28 deliveries, which was laced with five boundaries. Premier batsman Nat Sciver-Brunt managed to score just four runs in three balls. She also smashed a boundary. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur garnered 20 runs in 17 balls, with the help of a boundary and a maximum. Nicola Carey and Sajeevan Sajana delivered crucial knocks for the team. Facing 29 balls, Carey registered 40 runs, including four boundaries, whereas Sajana played a knock of 45 runs off 25 balls. Her knock also included seven boundaries and a maximum. Amanjot Kaur and Poonam Khemnar stayed unbeaten on ducks after facing two and one ball, respectively. Having completed her quota of four overs, RCB's Lauren Bell conceded 14 runs and claimed one wicket. Shreyanka Patil also bowled four overs and bagged one wicket by giving away 32 runs. Nadine de Klerk, in her spell of four overs, picked up four wickets by conceding 26 runs. Linsey Smith, Arundhati Reddy, and Radha Yadav went wicketless in the WPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians. Smith bowled two overs and leaked 23 runs. Arundhati gave away 37 runs in four overs, and Radha was smashed for 21 runs in two overs. Earlier, RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl first against the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side. After concluding this match, the "Paltan" will lock horns against Delhi Capitals (DC) on the very next day. WPL 2026, MI vs RCB: Playing XI Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), G Kamalini, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Nicola Carey, Poonam Khemnar, Shamnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajana Sajeevan, and Saika Ishaque. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (C), Grace Harris, Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh (WK), Radha Yadav, Nadine De Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat, Linsey Smith, and Lauren Bell.
09 January,2026 09:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. The "Paltan" will look to open their campaign on a positive note, whereas RCB will look to defend their title. The DY Patil pitch traditionally favours batswomen, often producing high-scoring thrillers that can be swayed by a single individual performance. The battle between Mandhana and Shamnim Ismail will be worth watching. It will be interesting to see if explosive RCB's Richa Ghosh manages to get her rhythm from the beginning of the tournament. It is a battle for early momentum in what is shaping up to be the most competitive WPL season yet. After winning the toss, Mandhana said that, considering the dew factor, she opted to bowl first in the WPL 2026 opening match. Nadine De Klerk, Grace Harris, Lauren Bell, and Linsey Smith will be their four overseas players for this game. Meanwhile, MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that the side has good practice sessions at the venue for 10 days. She also informed that Hayley Matthews won't feature in the match. Nicola Carey is set to make her debut. Will the Challengers be able to dominate the "Paltan" on their homeground? It will be a double-decker Saturday for the cricket fans across the globe as the "Paltan" will again be in action for their second game on the very next day. They will lock horns against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the same venue. Before Mumbai's clash, the fans will witness the match between UP Warriorz (UPW) and Gujarat Giants (GG) at 3.00 PM. WPL 2026, MI vs RCB: Confirmed Playing XI Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), G Kamalini, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Nicola Carey, Poonam Khemnar, Shamnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajana Sajeevan, and Saika Ishaque. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (C), Grace Harris, Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh (WK), Radha Yadav, Nadine De Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat, Linsey Smith, and Lauren Bell.
09 January,2026 09:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter leading Australia to a 4-1 triumph against England in the Ashes series. Steve Smith, along with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, could be in action for their Big Bash League (BBL) teams after the conclusion of the Sydney Test match, according to ESPNCricinfo. Several players from the Ashes squad would feature in the BBL, the portal further stated. Mitchell Starc will also return to the Sydney Sixers in the competition for the first time in 11 years, whereas Travis Head will be skipping the tournament. Head, who concluded the Ashes series as a top run-scorer with 629 runs, said that he would be opting for rest before heading into the T20 World Cup 2026. He registered three tons in the rivalry against the "Three Lions". Scott Boland, who was the third-highest wicket-taker in the Ashes series, would not feature for the Melbourne Stars. He registered 20 wickets to his name. On the other hand, Cameron Green will have some time off away from the game. Smith, who had torched an unbeaten 121 runs against Perth Scorchers and another half-century in his three-match stint last season, will be available for the Sixers' final three regular-season fixtures, starting with Sunday's fixture against Hobart Hurricanes. Currently at fourth spot with four wins and three losses, they are trying to make it to the finals and are three points away from overtaking the Hurricanes (10 points). Starc is expected to be a part of the clash against the Sydney Thunder and later against the Brisbane Heat on January 16 and 18, respectively. He had announced his T20I retirement last year. Australia will be playing three T20Is in Pakistan before the T20 World Cup, and players will depart for Pakistan in a staggered manner depending on how far their BBL franchises go in the tournament. The squad which will travel to Pakistan for the T20Is is yet to be announced, but is likely to feature some additional names besides the 15-man T20 WC squad led by Mitchell Marsh. BBL player availability From January 10: Alex Carey (Strikers), Brendan Doggett (Renegades), Josh Inglis (Scorchers), Usman Khawaja (Heat), Marnus Labuschagne (Heat), Todd Murphy (Sixers), Steven Smith (Sixers), Jake Weatherald (Hurricanes), Beau Webster (Hurricanes) From January 14: Michael Neser (Heat) From January 16: Mitchell Starc (Sixers). (With ANI Inputs)
09 January,2026 09:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1768047908273_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Gujarat Giants. Representational image")
-1768034005362_d.png "Jemimah Rodrigues takes over as captain of Delhi Capitals for WPL 2026. File Pic")
