Sane Guruji School (Dadar) registered a massive 180-run win over Shishuvan School (Matunga) in Round One of the inter-school girls U-16 Manoramaben cricket knockout tournament at Matunga Gymkhana on Tuesday. Batting first, Sane Guruji posted an imposing 202-2 in their quota of 10 overs. Tanvi Lad led the charge with a fluent 76 not out off 43 balls (14x4), and was well supported by Sara Apraj (42 off 45). Shishuvan’s wayward bowling (42 no balls, and 16 wides) also provided an additional boost to Sane Guruji’s total. In reply, Shishuvan crumbled to 22-9 in their allotted overs. Aayushi Surve excelled with the ball for Sane Guruji with figures of 5-6, while Savi Dhavale chipped in with 3-2. 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
04 February,2026 09:17 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamRiding on skipper Thomas Rew’s century, England beat Australia by 27 runs in their ICC U-19 World Cup semi-final clash as Australia captain Oliver Peake’s ton went in vain here on Tuesday. Opting to bat, England posted 277-7 in their allotted 50 overs. Skipper Rew led the way with a gritty 107-ball 110, including 14 fours and a six. No. 5 batter Caleb Falconer chipped in with a 53-ball 40. Hayden Schiller (2-31) and Naden Cooray (2-49) were the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies. In reply, Australia were bundled out for 250 in 47.3 overs. Peake (100 off 88 balls) held the innings together with some support from opener Nitesh Samuel (47). However, Australia still fell short as wickets kept falling at the other end at regular intervals. Brief scoresEngland 277-7 in 50 overs (T Rew 110, C Falconer 40; H Schiller 2-31, N Cooray 2-49) beat Australia 250 all out in 47.3 overs (O Peake 100, N Samuel 47; J Minto 2-30, S Morgan 2-33, R Albert 2-45, M Lumsden 2-55) by 27 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
04 February,2026 09:15 AM IST | Bulawayo | AgenciesYogesh Mhatre, the father of India U-19 skipper Ayush Mhatre has an inspiring message for his son on the eve of India’s ICC U-19 World Cup semi-final against Afghanistan at Harare, Zimbabwe. ‘India have a balanced side’ Speaking to mid-day over the phone from their Vasai home, Mhatre Sr said that he wants five-time champions India to remain unbeaten in the biennial competition. “I have told Ayush not to take any pressure. He should remain in the present and be ready to face any situation with a positive mindset. Our Indian team is a balanced side in both, the batting and bowling departments. The team’s bonding is also great and every individual is shouldering his responsibility perfectly. I’m sure they will play with full confidence in the semi-final and remain unbeaten and go on to win the tournament for the sixth time,” Mhatre Sr told mid-day on Tuesday. India U-19 skipper Ayush Mhatre with father Yogesh (right) Mumbai-based Ayush, who is known for his attacking batting, has so far scored 99 runs in five matches besides claiming six wickets with his accurate off-spinners. Another Mumbai boy, wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu, and attacking opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are India’s top run-getters currently, scoring 199 and 196 respectively. Another promising batter is Vihaan Malhotra, who scored an unbeaten 109 against Zimbabwe. He has collected 172 runs in five matches so far. Pacer Henil Patel leads India’s bowling department with 11 scalps, while fellow pacer RS Ambrish and left-arm spinner Khilan Patel have bowled well, picking up eight wickets apiece. Learnings from MS Dhoni Teenaged Ayush, 18, played under former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings in the previous Indian Premier League (IPL), and Mhatre Sr reckons young Ayush is also trying to learn to lead and motivate the young Indian team just like his IPL skipper. “Ayush has always remained in touch with his senior players. And he is trying to lead this U-19 team in the same way his captains in the other senior teams guided and handled him. He is always chatting with his teammates about their specific roles. Since childhood, he is used to playing with older players, so given that experience, he handles his teammates well and prefers to give them a freehand and back their skills,” said Yogesh. ‘Motivate all your players’ Interestingly, though the father and son chat regularly over the phone, Yogesh particularly recalled their last conversation before his son’s departure for Zimbabwe. “I remember when he was leaving, I told him to be confident, positive and return with the U-19 World Cup for our country. I also told him that though individual performances are good, he should also look to motivate all his players to give their best and perform well. I’m hoping he has his hands on that World Cup this Friday.” TwoNo of centuries struck by Ayush Mhatre in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 240No of runs scored by Ayush Mhatre in seven matches at IPL 2025 1No of half-tons for Mhatre in five games at the ICC U-19 World Cup 99No of runs scored by Ayush Mhatre in five matches at the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup
04 February,2026 09:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureUnbeaten so far in the tournament, a confident and all-round India will be overwhelming favourites against Afghanistan in the semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup here on Wednesday. India are the most successful team in the history of the event, having annexed the title five times (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022), followed by Australia, who have won the trophy four times. Come Wednesday, India will look to take one step forward towards a record sixth title. India have had a great run in the tournament, having won all their five matches quite comfortably, including a 58-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Super Six stage. Afghanistan too has had a fairly good tournament, winning four out of their five games, their only loss coming against Sri Lanka by four wickets. Going by form and overall composition, India will hold an edge over the Afghans in the knock-out game. Wicket-keeper batter Abhigyan Kundu has been the star performer for India with the bat as the left-hander has so far amassed 199 runs from five games with two half centuries to his name. Big-hitting opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (196 runs in 5 matches with 2 fifties) too has been in good form but the team management would want him to convert his half-centuries into three-figure scores. All-rounder Vihaan Malhotra (172 runs from 5 games) is the other Indian batter to look out for. He struck the lone century (109 not out) against Zimbabwe in group stages. 5No of wins for India at the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup so far 10-2 India and Afghanistan’s head-to-head record across 12 Youth ODIs since 2010 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
04 February,2026 09:06 AM IST | Harare | PTIAbhishek Sharma, the destroyer The swashbuckling India opener’s ultra-aggressive batting approach set the team up for success often. He scored 182 runs in five outings at 45.50 and a series-topping strike rate of 249.31. While he went for ducks in the second and fourth T20I, Abhishek made up for it with scores of 84, 68 not out and 30 in the remaining three matches, all of which India won. Ishan Kishan’s explosive comeback After being out of the Indian team for over two years, Kishan came back with a bang, scoring 215 runs in just four innings at a whopping average of 53.75 and strike rate of 231.18. The Jharkhand skipper, who scored 517 runs in 10 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy matches, calling for his return to the national team, registered scores of eight, 76, 28, 103. He signed off in the final outing with a 42-ball century, solidifying his case for a spot in the playing XI for the T20 World Cup. Skipper Surya returns to form After a disastrous 2025, the India captain finally found his feet again, emerging as the highest run-getter of the series with 242 runs. The former World No. 1 T20 batter notched up scores of 32, 82 not out, 57 not out, eight and 63, at a staggering average of 80.66. If he continues in this vein, it will only brighten India’s chances of retaining the T20 World Cup. Rinku, Dube boost lower-order power While Rinku came out to bat only thrice (at No. 4, 6, and 7), and Dube received four chances (at No 6), both showed the solidity they provide in the latter stage of an innings. Rinku scored 91 runs at a strike rate of 156.89 with scores of 44 not out, 39 and eight not out in the first, fourth and fifth match. On the other hand, Dube scored 117 runs at a strike rate only second to Suryakumar, at 248.93. He scored nine, 36 not out, 65 and seven not out in his four outings. The fast-bowling all-rounder also claimed three wickets in the series. Bowlers hit the right notes Between both teams, India were superior with the ball, claiming 37 wickets in five games compared to NZ’s 26. India got wickets through 10 bowlers while eight NZ bowlers were successful. India pacer Arshdeep Singh emerged as the highest wicket-taker with eight scalps. Additionally, six India bowlers operated at an economy under 10, while all of NZ’s wicket-taking bowlers were in excess of 10.
04 February,2026 09:02 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesIndia opener Rohit Sharma has expressed his gratitude after being conferred with the Padma Shri, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, calling it a special moment for him, while reiterating his unwavering desire to win matches for India. “Receiving the Padma Shri is a very special moment for me and my family. I thank the government for this honour. My effort to win matches and trophies for my country will always continue. Jai Hind.” Rohit said in a video shared by Doordarshan Sports on X. 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
04 February,2026 09:00 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSIn the WPL 2026 Eliminator match against Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals emerged victorious by seven wickets at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Kotambi. The win also helped the Jemimah Rodrigues-led women seal their berth in the WPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). While chasing a target of 169 runs, Delhi Capitals posted 169 runs for the loss of three wickets in 15.4 overs. Opening the innings, Lizelle Lee scored 43 runs off just 24 balls, with the help of eight boundaries and a maximum. Shouldering her was Shafali Verma, who smashed 31 runs in 21 deliveries, including seven boundaries. Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues accumulated 41 runs off 23 deliveries, which was laced with four boundaries and a maximum. Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp stayed unbeaten. Facing 24 balls, Wolvaardt garnered 32 runs, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum, whereas Kapp scored four runs in three balls, including a boundary. Gujarat Giants' Georgia Wareham bagged two wickets by giving away 28 runs in 3.4 overs. Rajeshwari Gayakwad also claimed one wicket by conceding 33 runs in her spell of three overs. Earlier, having put to bat first, premier all-rounder Sophie Devine departed after scoring just six runs in nine balls, including a boundary. Anushka Sharma registered a score of 16 runs in 13 balls, with the help of two boundaries. Skipper Ashleigh Gardner returned to the pavilion after registering a first-ball duck. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, opening batswoman Beth Mooney delivered a crucial knock. Facing 51 deliveries, she scored an unbeaten 62 runs by smashing six boundaries. Shouldering her was Georgia Wareham, who accumulated 35 runs in 25 balls, with the help of three boundaries and a maximum. With this, the Gujarat Giants posted a total of 168 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs against the Delhi Capitals. Chinelle Henry was the most successful bowler for the Delhi Capitals. Having bowled four overs, she returned with the figures of three wickets by conceding 35 runs. Nandni Sharma also claimed two wickets for 44 runs in four overs. Minnu Mani chipped in with one wicket and gave away 23 runs in four overs.
03 February,2026 11:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, former Australian cricketer Michael Klinger said that the recent T20I series against New Zealand showed why Team India is going to be extremely tough to beat in the marquee event. "With the form they're in and what I saw recently against New Zealand, India are going to be extremely difficult to beat. A team will probably have to catch them on a bad night in a final to beat them," he told PTI. He also said that Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman Abhishek Sharma is fearless, and his batting is amazing to watch. "Abhishek Sharma is probably my new favourite player. I've been watching him for a while now. Opening with Travis Head in the IPL and now doing it at international level, he's fearless and amazing to watch," said the former cricketer. He also feels that Ishan Kishan, who is enjoying his rich vein of form, is probably pushing his name for India's playing XI for the mega event. "Ishan Kishan has come back in fantastic form and is certainly putting a case forward to start in the XI at the World Cup," said Klinger. The former cricketer also said that the "Men in Blue" may face tough competition against teams such as Australia and South Africa. "Australia and South Africa are strong teams. South Africa, coming off a lot of T20 cricket recently, will be dangerous as well," said the 45-year-old former cricketer. T20 World Cup 2026: Team India's schedule 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). They will begin their global showpiece campaign by playing a clash against the USA on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They will then lock horns with Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The much-anticipated clash of the tournament between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. India will then conclude its group stage matches by playing a game against the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (With PTI Inputs)
03 February,2026 09:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan has decided to boycott the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals, India. Earlier, the International Cricket Council (ICC) removed Bangladesh from the tournament, following the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) refusal to play their matches in India. Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh, who faced the Pakistani media after suffering a 0-3 T20I series whitewash against the "Green Shirts", refused to comment on both the controversies. The right-handed batsman said that he is focused on winning the global showpiece. "I don't have any comment on that at this point. We are going to the World Cup to just focus on what we are doing, we will let that stuff take care of itself. The same goes for my previous answer. We are going to the World Cup to try and win it and we are solely focussed on that. As the Australian team, we trust the people there to keep us safe and that's all I would say," he said. Further speaking, he admitted that his team struggled against Pakistan's spinners, but said that the Aussies will take learning from the series to the World Cup. "In isolation, this series, we struggled. But over the last 18 months, we've been one of the best teams in the world and we've played spin really well. So, we'll take the learnings forward to the World Cup. We know we're a very good side in all conditions, so looking forward to the World Cup," said Marsh. "Some of the guys who haven't experienced these conditions before will take these experiences forward in their careers," added the 34-year-old cricketer. T20 World Cup 2026: Australia's schedule The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Australia is placed in Group B of the tournament along with teams such as Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The Aussies will begin their campaign by playing a clash against Ireland on February 11 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. They will then lock horns against Zimbabwe on February 13 at the same venue. Their third clash of the group stage will be against Sri Lanka on February 16 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Balagolla. The side will conclude its group stage matches by playing a clash against Oman on February 20 at the same venue. (With PTI Inputs)
03 February,2026 08:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the WPL 2026 Eliminator match against Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Kotambi. After winning the toss, Delhi skipper Rodrigues feels that considering the fresh surface, any target could be chasable at the venue. She also said that the dew will later come into play, which made her opt to bowl first. The skipper also said that she is proud of the way her team showcased determination and feels that all they can do is control the controllables. When asked about the defeat against Gujarat in the group stage match, she said that it is a new day and considers tonight's match a new challenge. Despite losing the toss, Gujarat Giants' captain Ashleigh Gardner expressed happiness, as she wanted to bat first and also said that it worked out well. She said that her team will be aiming to play an aggressive brand of cricket with the willow and is eyeing a strong start in the powerplay. Gardner then said nothing has changed for them in terms of the process and feels the pitch looks similar compared to the previous matches. She concluded by saying that her teammates will assess the conditions and adapt accordingly. It will be interesting to see which team emerge victorious to seal their berth in the title clash of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026. The final of the WPL 2026 is scheduled to be played against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on February 5 at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Kotambi. RCB sealed the final berth by winning six out of the eight matches. The side suffered two losses and has a net run rate (NRR) of +1.247 and 12 points. WPL 2026, GG vs DC: Confirmed Playing XI Gujarat Giants: Beth Mooney (WK), Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (C), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwer, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur. Delhi Capitals: Lizelle Lee (WK), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (C), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma.
03 February,2026 07:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia's star pacer Pat Cummins said that his injury forced him to withdraw from the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, and it was also driven by the desire to stay completely fit for the Test season, in which he wants to feature in all the matches. Ahead of the upcoming shortest format global showpiece, Cummins was ruled out, as he failed to recover from the back injury. Ben Dwarshuis was named as his replacement. "It was really unfortunate. I feel pretty good, just a minor setback and just ran out of time really. I'll rest up for a few weeks and go from there. We knew after the (Adelaide) Test match we were going to need somewhere between four and eight weeks to let the bone settle right down before then building back up. Initially, we thought it might only be four weeks, because I was feeling really good, but just had a follow-up scan," he said. "They thought it probably needs another couple of weeks, so the timeline just became a bit too tight," added the pacer. Further speaking, he also feels that the first half of the year would be the right time to be cautious in managing his workload. "We thought the first half of the year was a pretty good time to be conservative with the amount of cricket that's coming up," said Cummins. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Australia is placed in Group B of the tournament along with teams such as Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The Aussies will begin their campaign by playing a clash against Ireland on February 11 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. They will then lock horns against Zimbabwe on February 13 at the same venue. Their third clash of the group stage will be against Sri Lanka on February 16 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Balagolla. The side will conclude its group stage matches by playing a clash against Oman on February 20 at the same venue. The Super 8 stage of the marquee event will begin from February 21. The semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 are scheduled to be played on March 4 and 5, respectively. The title clash will be played on March 8, and the venue of the match is yet to be confirmed. (With ANI Inputs)
03 February,2026 03:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
