In the third Test match against the West Indies, New Zealand's pacer Jacob Duffy bagged a total of nine wickets at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. With this, he scripted history by breaking the record of the former cricketer Richard Hadlee for the most wickets (79) in a calendar year. Duffy broke the record by claiming his 81st wicket of the year. In 36 matches, he registered 81 wickets with an average of 17.11 this year. Earlier, Hadlee held the record with 80 wickets in just 23 matches. During the first innings of the West Indies, Duffy returned with the figures of four wickets for 86 runs in 35 overs. In the second essay, he registered a five-wicket haul by conceding 42 runs in 22.3 overs. Reflecting on his performance, he said that it is "special" for him to be on the list, having the likes of star players. "I saw that list (most wickets in a calendar year) at lunch time, and there were some cool names on there, so to be up there on any sort of list with those sort of names was special," said the 31-year-old cricketer. received vital support from the batters during the third Test, in particular openers Devon Conway and skipper Tom Latham, who became the first opening pair in the history of Test cricket to each score two centuries across the same match. Conway also became the first New Zealander and just the 10th player ever to score a double-century and a century in the same Test, following his efforts of 227 and 100 over the two innings. With this win, New Zealand have moved to second place on the ICC World Test Championship standings. Jacob Duffy's inclusion in Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Additionally, Duffy has been signed by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction for Rs 2 crore. The upcoming edition will also mark his debut in the cash-rich league's history. Brief scores: New Zealand 578/8 and 306/2 (Devon Conway 227, Tom Latham 137; Kavem Hodge 2-80). Vs West Indies 420 and 138 (Kavem Hodge 123*, Brandon King 67; Jacob Duffy 5-42). (With ANI Inputs)
22 December,2025 04:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTeam India's star spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, recently shared images of his newly purchased BMW Z4 on his official social media handle. The car's price in India starts at Rs 87.90 lakh and goes upto Rs 92.61 lakh. Brought my new car home with the two people who made every dream possible. Watching my parents witness and relish this milestone is the real luxury. ❤️🫂🧿 pic.twitter.com/UL1ZOvmH97 — Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) December 22, 2025 Chahal also parted ways with his wife, Dhanashree Verma. The cricketer seems to be out of favour with the Indian selectors, as he made his last international appearance on August 13, 2023, in a T20I match. So far, the 35-year-old cricketer has made 72 ODI and 80 T20I appearances for Team India. In 72 ODI matches, he has registered 121 wickets, whereas he also has 96 T20I scalps. T20 World Cup 2026: Team India's schedule for marquee event Recently, Team India managed to clinch the T20I series by 2-1 against South Africa. The side will now lock horns against New Zealand for the five-match T20I series. The contest will also serve as a preparatory series for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The marquee tournament 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. The marquee tournament will conclude on March 8, with the top two teams clashing against each other for the elusive title. The venue of the final match is yet to be confirmed. It will be interesting to see if the "Men in Blue" manage to defend their T20 World Cup title. 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).
22 December,2025 04:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMohammad Izhar had little time to savour the feeling of his IPL dream coming true. As his name was called out at the IPL 2026 auction, the left-arm pacer from Birpur in Bihar’s Supaul district was already racing against the clock - within 15-20 minutes, he needed to board a bus for a six-hour ride to Patna, where the Vijay Hazare Trophy camp awaited him. "When the auction was on, I was at home with my brothers in law. While from the outside I was very excited and nervous, I was very anxious about whether my name will come in the auction or not. Finally, the Mumbai Indians picked me and it brought in a different level of happiness. “While I was feeling very good and excited about getting a chance to be in IPL, I became very emotional. Though everyone began celebrating at home, I had to leave to catch the bus for Patna, so I didn't celebrate it much," Izhar recalled in an exclusive conversation with IANS. The five-time champions have been renowned for unearthing uncapped gems through a robust scouting system. Though they had a small purse in IPL 2026 auction, picking Izhar for his base price of Rs 30 lakh is very much a signal that they may have unearthed another gem in the making. Even as he remained engaged with the trials of Kolkata Knight Riders, Izhar recalled how the five-time champions chose patience in having a look at him. "Though Mumbai Indians is a big franchise, they are so humble, which even words cannot explain. When they called me for a trial, I was at KKR's trial. “But despite being such a big team, they waited for me to come for the trials. When I reached, I was very tired, but I saw they waited for me and told me to rest for a while, so that I could bowl comfortably after recovering. I rested well and then went through the trials very well. It's a very good franchise and the coaches there were very humble." Izhar's cricketing journey began in Birpur, a town in Supaul district, where tennis ball cricket was the gateway to bigger dreams. His transition to leather ball cricket came through a chance observation by his local mentor Jaichand, who spotted raw talent that others missed. "Jaichand bhaiya and Birbal bhaiya got me into leather ball cricket and taught me a lot for the last 2-3 years. Previously, I played tennis ball cricket and in one of the games, Jaichand bhaiya saw me bowling and then he told me to start playing with a leather ball. “I then went on to play for the district and initially it felt a little tough as I was straightaway playing these games without having played leather ball cricket before. But it began so well that I haven’t looked back after that. Birbal bhaiya is a star bowler himself. I learnt a lot from him and Jaichand, who himself was a cricketer," he added. Watching legendary fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee also transformed Izhar’s casual interest into a Junoon (passion) to play cricket. "Starc has always been my idol from the start. Then seeing Akhtar and Lee take wickets brought in a junoon in me about playing cricket. From the start, it was not like I will play for India or be in IPL. Gradually, I started playing and those thing started to come in my mind. “You do get a good understanding of these things once you start to put yourself through the grind. I started setting aims that I want to play for the state and do well there. It was in my mind that I wanted to play in the IPL, though the goal of playing for India is still at the top. But I didn't anticipate that I will get picked this year. So, I am very thankful to God that I got picked for IPL this year." Like many young cricketers from smaller towns, Izhar's early journey wasn't paved with automatic support. Bihar's limited cricketing infrastructure meant initial struggles were there, but his father's growing belief in him transformed everything. "When I started playing, my father started giving me a lot of support. He began to understand that I have games to play and do well in them. The support from him grew so much that he started taking care of everything around me by himself. Whenever I got small bruises, he would put a bandage quickly at home." The Bihar Cricket Association's faith proved equally crucial, especially after Izhar had a disappointing previous season. The backing from BCA officials, including previous President Rakesh Tiwari, allowed Izhar to rebuild confidence and rediscover form when it mattered most. "Last year, I did not get anything great in terms of performances. I started preparing for this season early and the association trusted me to come good. So I am very thankful for that to all of them in BCA. I am very thankful for the chances because of which I got selected for the IPL. “I had a good performance this time in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (taking nine wickets in five games in Kolkata), where the IPL scouts saw me, called me for trials, got into the auction and now I will be in IPL." Izhar’s bowling arsenal centers on both inswing and outswing, complemented by variations of slower ball essential for success in T20s. Operating around 135 kmph, Izhar acknowledges his game remains a work in progress, particularly his execution of yorker and consistency with swing deliveries. "I also have the yorker in my repertoire, but I need to groom and polish it more. In all, I need to do everything better because I am not always perfect. Like my in swing and out swing is not perfect yet, and I need to work on it more. I always try to work on the small things and make my bowling better. Plus, there are some variations of slower ball that I need to polish and groom more." With an IPL deal in hand, Izhar will have access to two masters of the craft - Trent Boult, whose left-arm swing bowling mirrors Izhar's own style, and Jasprit Bumrah, whose yorkers and control have redefined modern-day fast bowling. "Boult bowls with the left arm like me and Bumrah swings the ball well. His yorkers are deadly. I am going to learn a lot from them." For youngsters from modest cricketing outposts, Izhar’s rise carries a clear message: patience and persistence outweigh the lure of instant success. His journey from tennis-ball matches in Birpur to an IPL contract with MI stands as validation of that belief. "I would say just focus on the process, keep going by working hard and wait for the right time. You do not get success in a very short span, as it demands a lot of time. You have to be consistent and believe in God. Plus, you have to believe in yourself that you can do it. When the time comes, you will get the reward. If you work hard, you will get success." Now on the cusp of wearing MI’s iconic blue and gold in IPL 2026, Izhar’s emergence adds fresh momentum to his promising cricketing story. It underlines once more that, with the right backing, cricketing talent can emerge from the game’s most unheralded corners. 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.
22 December,2025 04:25 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSAhead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Punjab announced its 18-member squad for the tournament. Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, and Arshdeep Singh are set to feature in their season-opening match against Maharashtra on Wednesday, according to ESPNcricinfo. Considering his recent poor form and fitness, Gill was dropped from India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026 and the New Zealand series. Punjab's squad also consists of the likes of Prabhsimran Singh, Naman Dhir, Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Sanvir Sangha, and Harpreet Brar. Gurnoor Brar and Krish Bhagat will lead the pace attack. Punjab, the losing quarter-finalists last season, are set to play all the seven league matches in Jaipur. Arshdeep was their leading wicket-taker in the 2024-25 edition, and he will be a key player to watch. Punjab's group includes Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa, and Mumbai, with league-stage fixtures wrapping up on January 8, just before India's first ODI on January 11. The availability of Gill, Abhishek, and Arshdeep for the further tournament is unclear as Team India will also play three ODI matches against New Zealand. The three-match series against the "Black Caps" will kick start from January 11. Both teams will then clash against each other for the five T20I matches, beginning from January 21. The series will also serve as the preparatory contest for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The marquee event is scheduled to kick start from February 7. Team India, who are the defending champions, 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 event will conclude on March 8, with the top two teams clashing against each other for the elusive title. It will be interesting to see if the "Men in Blue" manage to defend their T20 World Cup title. Punjab's squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Harnoor Pannu, Anmolpreet Singh, Uday Saharan, Naman Dhir, Salil Arora (wk), Sanvir Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Jashanpreet Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Harpreet Brar, Raghu Sharma, Krish Bhagat, Gourav Choudhary, Sukhdeep Bajwa. (With ANI Inputs)
22 December,2025 04:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia's star pacer Mitchell Starc backed veteran spinner Nathan Lyon to go through another rehab and make himself fit to resume his Test career. During the third Test match of the Ashes series against England, the spinner sustained a hamstring injury at the Adelaide Oval. He dived to field a ball at the long leg. Later, he went for scans and returned to the ground on crutches, according to ESPNcricinfo. Speaking about Lyon, Starc said he feels that the spinner still has the hunger to contribute to Australia and is also hopeful of him making a comeback in the game. "Really unfortunate for him. I'm sure it's a tough one to take. He contributed a lot in this Test match. So he should first and foremost enjoy the moment. He's helped us get to this victory," said the 35-year-old pacer. "He's obviously had a layoff with his calf through England, so he's sort of more on board with the fast bowlers in terms of what rehab takes. I think he's still got that hunger to give more to Australia. So that's all for him to think through. Hopefully, it's not a huge layoff. But, yeah, obviously disappointed for him. Hopefully, he's back sooner than later," he added. Nathan Lyon had earlier made a comeback to the team by claiming five wickets in the match after being sidelined for the Brisbane Test match. He also surpassed legendary Glenn McGrath to become Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in the format's history. The Aussies managed to secure a win by 82 runs against the "Three Lions" in the third Test match. The side is now leading the five-match Ashes Test series 3-0. The triumph sees Australia maintain their place at the top of the World Test Championship standings with a perfect record through six Tests of their 22 Tests this cycle and has them well placed to reach a third straight decider at Lord's in 2027. With the series already in the bag, the Pat Cummins-led side will lock horns with England from December 26 for the fourth Test match. The clash is scheduled to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Victoria. (With ANI Inputs)
22 December,2025 04:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTeam India's Rohit Sharma recently spoke about how the ODI World Cup 2023 final loss against Australia had affected him and how he managed to bounce back from the disappointment. Speaking at the Master Union event, the right-hander revealed that he thought of giving up on the sport after the loss against the Aussies in Ahmedabad. "After 2023 World Cup final, I was completed distraught and felt like I didn't want to play this sport anymore because it had taken everything out of me and I felt I had nothing left," he said. Later, he also stated that it took him months to find his form back and regain his energy. "It took some time and I kept reminding myself that this is something I truly love, that it was right in front of me, and I couldn't let it go so easy. Slowly, I found my way back, regaining the energy and getting myself moving again on the field," said the Nagpur-born cricketer. "Everybody was extremely disappointed, and we just couldn't believe what had happened. It was a very tough time for me personally because I had put everything into that World Cup not just two or three months before it, but ever since I took over the captaincy in 2022," he added. Rohit then revealed that his plan had always been to clinch the T20 World Cup or ODI World Cup title under his captaincy. "My only goal was to win the World Cup, whether it was the T20 World Cup or the 2023 World Cup. So when it didn't happen, I was completely devastated. There was no energy left in my body. It took me a couple of months to recover and bring myself back," he said. The cricketer then stated that he took it as a lesson to deal with disappointment and bounce back. "I guess when you invest so much into something and don't achieve the result, it's a very natural reaction. That's exactly what happened with me. But I also knew that life doesn't end there. It was a big lesson for me how to deal with disappointment, reset, and start fresh. I knew that something else was coming the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies and I had to shift all my focus towards that," said the 38-year-old cricketer. "It's very easy to say this now, but at that moment, it was extremely difficult," concluded Rohit. (With PTI Inputs)
22 December,2025 11:51 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia faltered against the big-hitting Sameer Minhas and the extra zip of pacers, suffering a massive 191-run defeat against Pakistan in a one-sided 50-over Under-19 Asia Cup final, here on Sunday. Pakistan lifted their second U-19 Asia Cup, and there was no formal greetings between the players of two teams. Once Pakistan posted a mammoth 347-8, riding on Minhas’s 172 (113b, 17x4, 9x6), India needed a lion-hearted chase to clinch a ninth title in the tournament. But the tall Pakistan pace troika — Ali Raza (4-42), Mohammad Sayyam (2-38) and Abdul Subhan (2-29) — hurried their top-order with consistent hard-lengths as India folded for 156 in 26.2 overs. India skipper Ayush Mhatre said: “There were some inconsistencies in the line of the bowling. It was a simple plan to play the 50 overs. The boys really played well and tournament was good for us.” Brief scoresPakistan 347-8 in 50 overs (S Minhas 172, A Hussain 56; D Devendran 3-83, K Patel 2-44, H Patel 2-62) beat India 156 all out in 26.2 overs (D Devendran 36; A Raza 4-42, H Ahsan 2-12, A Subhan 2-29, M Sayyam 2-38) by four wickets 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
22 December,2025 10:16 AM IST | Dubai | PTIAn Ashes-winning celebration usually involves song, dance and plenty of drinks, but for Australia’s victorious skipper Pat Cummins, it meant an afternoon game of football with his young son Albie across Adelaide Oval’s hallowed turf. Having just returned from an injury, Cummins led from the front with a six-wicket match haul to help his team seal the coveted urn. However, he seemingly won even more hearts for his family bonding session after a back-breaking effort with the ball in the scorching summer heat. The 32-year-old was seen kicking a ball around with Albie (four) before hoisting him on his back to the latter’s delight, all while his teammates were still in the dressing room revelling in their achievement. Cummins’s wife Rebecca also posted a sweet congratulatory message to her husband on Instagram, with a photo of their family in the dressing room, including the couple’s 10-month-old daughter Edi. The message read, “We did it! Couldn’t be prouder of you or happier for you.” The couple was also seen sharing a kiss on the ground immediately after the match. The pair had been dating since 2014, a year after they met at a bar in Sydney, before celebrating their wedding in 2020. Rebecca, who was born in England, runs an online luxury home furnishing store and is known to be a fitness enthusiast.
22 December,2025 10:15 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentTom Latham and Devon Conway earned a unique place in Test history on Sunday when their 192-run second innings partnership paved the way for New Zealand’s declaration at 306-2 on the fourth day of the third Test against the West Indies. At stumps, WI were 43-0 with Brandon King 37 and John Campbell 2. Latham and Conway became the first pair in Tests to achieve a triple century and century partnership in the same match. 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
22 December,2025 09:47 AM IST | Mount Maunganui (New Zealand) | AP | PTIPromising young batters Jay Jain (55-ball 83, 10x4, 2x6) and Harsh Aghav (51-ball 80, 7x4, 4x6) helped Parsee Gymkhana beat Victory CC by four wickets in the Purshottam Shield final at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Put in to bat, Victory CC posted 306-6 in their allotted 45 overs. Suryansh Shedge smashed 97 off 64 balls (4x4, 8x6) while Manan Bhatt and Suved Parkar scored 61 and 58 respectively. Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani and pacer Sylvester D’souza claimed two wickets each. In reply, opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi (54) and No.3 batter Vedant Murkar (44) got Parsee Gymkhana off to a good start. Skipper Mulani, who remained unbeaten on 17, lavished praise on Jain and Aghav, who stitched a match-winning 118-run fourth wicket stand off just 79 balls. Pacers Royston Dias and Dhanit Raut took two wickets each for Victory CC. “Harsh is under 19 and Jay is an U-23 cricketer, but both showcased maturity like senior batters. Chasing a 300-plus score in a final is never easy, and that too against a team with bowlers having experience in Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. Both of them batted sensibly in the middle order with balance and aggressive intent and that helped us chase the target convincingly,” Mulani told mid-day on Sunday.
22 December,2025 09:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureIndia displayed an all-round performance to beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first Women’s T20I here on Sunday. India restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 121 for six after the visiting batters struggled to put away the loose balls. In reply, the hosts chased the target in 14.4 overs thanks to an unbeaten 69 off 44 balls by Jemimah Rodrigues. Opener Smriti Mandhana contributed 25 off 25 balls. Earlier, Sri Lanka opener Vishmi Gunaratne top-scored for the visitors with a 43-ball 39, while Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama chipped in with 20 and 21 respectively. Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu got into the act straightaway, clipping an innocuous Kranti Gaud delivery off her pads for a four. Deepti Sharma (1-20), Kranti Gaud (1-23) and Shree Charani (1-30) claimed a wicket each for India. Both teams will face off in the second T20I at the same venue on Tuesday. 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
22 December,2025 09:42 AM IST | Visakhapatnam | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
