Gunalan Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma on Tuesday got their maiden call-ups in the Indian women’s team for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. The series will be played from December 21-30, with the first two games in Vizag and the rest in Thiruvananthapuram. While wicketkeeper-batter Kamalini, 17, has played nine Women’s Premier League matches for Mumbai Indians, Vaishnavi, 19, was not drafted in the WPL. 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 December,2025 10:05 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIBatting icon Sachin Tendulkar highlighted his immense passion for the game as a kid that helped him reach the highest level, while speaking at the Indian Street Premier League-3 (ISPL) player auction on Tuesday. “I started playing cricket because I was passionate. I was madly in love with it and all I wanted to do was play for India. I was prepared to do whatever I had to for that. At various stages in my life, I was prepared to work hard, possibly be on the field for 12 hours. There was a period where I did that for 55 days in a row in my summer holidays and finally fell sick. But that’s what it is, if the passion and the fire is not there, you are not going to be able to move forward,” Tendulkar, an ISPL core committee member, said. The former India captain added. “To move forward, you need hard work, plan. To be able to execute that, [you need] the right guidance [and] discipline. A number of elements come together and then when the time comes, you have to go and perform. That’s how you progress to the next level.” Bollywood stars, who are co-owners of the various teams like Akshay Kumar (Srinagar Ke Veer), Hrithik Roshan (Bengaluru Strikers), Saif Ali Khan (Tigers of Kolkata) and Ajay Devgan (Ahmedabad Lions) were also present. “In Srinagar, there are players, who play in the mountains. When they hit a shot, the ball falls into the valley and they bring it back. So, the passion they have is tremendous,” said Akshay Kumar. Ajay Devgn added: “We stand for courage and resilience. And, like Sachin said, if you’re not here to win, you have no place in this room.”
10 December,2025 09:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureFormer Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy expressed his disappointment with how England have played so far, calling their performance “deflating”, and suggested that a lack of preparation for Australian conditions has resulted in the visitors being 0-2 down in the Ashes series. “It’s a very deflating performance so far,” Healy told SEN. “The optimism we had before any contest was very high. We thought that this was going to be the close Ashes [in Australia] that we’ve been craving since the 60s. “It’s been a monumental fail by England; they have misread everything. I don’t know how there could be so many people who don’t know any better in decision-making positions of English cricket that have let this itinerary become approved,” he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 December,2025 09:49 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSFormer India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar highlighted all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s role in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa, saying there is no other player like him. After missing two months owing to a quadricep injury sustained during the Asia Cup, Pandya marked his return to the Indian side in style on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls. “Look at all the all-rounders in world cricket now. Does England have a backup for Ben Stokes? No. In one-day or even Test cricket, there is no backup for Ravindra Jadeja. It is the same with Hardik Pandya. He can command a spot in the top five on his batting alone. He could also be one of the top three seamers in any team if he was just a bowler,” Bangar told JioStar. “The point is, to be that kind of all-rounder, you must earn your place with your batting and also with your bowling. There is no other player like Hardik Pandya in the Indian team,” he added. Regarding Pandya’s workload management, Bangar said he anticipates the all-rounder playing in the first three of the five T20Is vs SA. “We need to see how he copes. Playing in the SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) is different from the intensity of an international game. The team management must manage the workload of important players like him. So, if needed, we must do that for Hardik too. A fit Hardik Pandya allows the team to play its desired combination, especially with the spin options we have. That’s why his presence is critically vital,” he said. 210.71Hardik Pandya’s strike-rate vs SA on Tuesday; his 59 not out had four sixes and six fours 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 December,2025 09:47 AM IST | Cuttack | AgenciesInjured fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the Ashes in a major setback for an England line-up trailing 0-2 in the five-match series. Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has also been ruled out of the Ashes with hamstring and Achilles injuries. 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 December,2025 09:06 AM IST | Brisbane | AP | PTIAustralia’s veteran opener Usman Khawaja is expected to be back in the mix for the second Ashes Test in Adelaide, though he is not necessarily locked in to open. “The assumption is that Uzzie can only open as well — I think that he does have the flexibility [to bat elsewhere]. We like to think that all our batters have the flexibility to perform anywhere in the order,” head coach Andrew McDonald said. 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 December,2025 09:03 AM IST | Brisbane | IANSHardik Pandya’s all-round show (59 not out off 28 balls & 1-16) helped India crush South Africa by 101 runs in the first fixture of the five-match T20Is series here on Tuesday. Chasing 176, South Africa were dismissed for just 74 in 12.3 overs. Dewald Brevis, with 22 off 14 balls, was the leading scorer for the Proteas. Pacers Arshdeep Singh (2-14), Jasprit Bumrah (2-17), spinners Varun Chakravarthy (2-19) and Axar Patel (2-7) did most of the damage. Earlier, Pandya marked his return to competitive cricket with a blistering half-century that helped India recover from some early blows to post a healthy 175-6. Arshdeep Singh after dismissing SA’s Tristan Stubbs. Pic/AFP Coming back after 74 days following a left quadricep injury that forced him out of the Asia Cup, Pandya walked in at No. 6 and immediately changed the tempo of the match. India had slipped in both the Powerplay and middle overs losing six wickets, but Pandya, who had proved his fitness at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda with a 42-ball 77 not out, counter-attacked with clean, fearless hitting, laced with six fours and four sixes. It was his sixth T20I fifty. Pandya’s late fireworks helped India add 53 runs in the last five overs, while Nortje, returning from injury, conceded 41 in four, including 12 in the final over. 100No. of sixes by Hardik Pandya in T20Is — he is the fourth Indian to reach the three-figure mark OneJasprit Bumrah is the first Indian player and fifth overall to claim 100 or more wickets in all three international formats 101India’s victory margin on Tuesday is their eighth-biggest in T20Is (by runs) 74This is the lowest total by South Africa in T20Is Brief scoresIndia 175-6 in 20 overs (H Pandya 59*, T Varma 26; L Ngidi 3-31, L Sipamla 2-38) beat SA 74 all out in 12.3 overs (D Brevis 22; A Patel 2-7, A Singh 2-14, J Bumrah 2-17, V Chakravarthy 2-19) by 101 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
10 December,2025 09:02 AM IST | Cuttack | AgenciesIn the first T20I match against South Africa, Team India emerged victorious by 101 runs at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. In an attempt to chase a target of 176 runs, the Proteas were bowled out for just 74 runs in 12.3 overs. Dewald Brevis was the highest run-scorer for the visitors as he scored 22 runs in 14 balls. His knock included three boundaries and a maximum. Skipper Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs registered scores of 14 runs each. Marco Jansen also scored 12 runs off 12 balls, including two maximums. Team India's Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel bagged two wickets each. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube chipped in with one wicket each. Having put to bat first, Team India posted a total of 175 runs for the loss of six wickets. Hardik Pandya's unbeaten half-century was the highlight of the hosts' innings. Facing just 28 balls, he garnered an unbeaten 59 runs, which was laced with six boundaries and four maximums. Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman, Abhishek Sharma, registered a score of 17 runs in 12 balls. His knock was laced with two boundaries and a maximum. Shubman Gill managed to score just four runs in two balls. His knock also included a boundary. The right-hander had returned to action after recovering from a neck injury. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav accumulated 12 runs after facing 11 deliveries. His innings included a boundary and a maximum Later, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel delivered crucial knocks. Facing 32 balls, Tilak smashed 26 runs, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum, whereas Axar scored 23 runs off 21 balls, including a maximum. Shivam Dube garnered 11 runs in nine balls. His knock also included two boundaries. Along with Pandya, Jitesh Sharma scored an unbeaten 10 runs in five balls, with the help of a maximum. Lungi Ngidi was the most successful bowler for South Africa. Completing his quota of four overs, he claimed three wickets by conceding 31 runs. Lutho Sipamla also bowled a decent spell. Bowling four overs, he leaked 38 runs and bagged two wickets. Donovan Ferreira picked up one wicket by conceding 13 runs in two overs.
09 December,2025 10:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe three-time title winners, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), are all set to enter the auction of the IPL 2026 with a new approach under the head coach Abhishek Nayar. Since his appointment, he has made bold decisions to free up a major portion of their purse. Speaking on the JioStar, former Team India cricketer Saba Karim feels that KKR will bid for Venkatesh Iyer, whom they bought for Rs. 23.75 crore in the previous edition's auction. He feels that the franchise had released him to free up a huge amount of their purse. "There is a strong possibility that KKR may buy him back. He was released at 23 crores which freed up a huge amount in their purse and chances are high that he may not go for that much money now in the mini-auction," said the former cricketer. Karim then said that Abhishek Nayar will keep players who he feels can win him matches. "This is a trademark Abhishek Nayar move because he always wants to start fresh. He only keeps players he feels are part of a winning combination and will be regular in the playing eleven. The rest, he buys back in the auction. I think he will build his team that way. I've always seen Abhishek Nayar work like this. So I feel the KKR management believes that maybe Venkatesh Iyer has exhausted his utility, similar to how they valued Andre Russell for years," said the 58-year-old former cricketer. Additionally, KKR's veteran all-rounder Andre Russell announced his retirement from the league. In 2021, Venkatesh arrived as a storm, scoring 370 runs in ten games, which was his debut season, as KKR reached the final, but they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In their title-winning year in 2024, the southpaw again scored 370 runs. Things looked difficult in 2025, as he scored 142 runs in 11 games, with one fifty, at an average of 20.28. The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction for the upcoming edition is scheduled on December 16. In the previous season, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerged victorious under the captaincy of newly-appointed captain Rajat Patidar. (With ANI Inputs)
09 December,2025 09:45 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian Premier League (IPL) auction for the upcoming edition is scheduled on December 16. Ahead of the auction, it will be interesting to see which player emerges as the most expensive buy this year. The official social media handle of the cash-rich league has shared a post on its official social media handle in which the names of all expensive players from each edition have been mentioned. 1⃣8⃣ #TATAIPL auctions and some historic bids along the way 🔨💰Who will join this list in the upcoming auction? 🤔Follow the #TATAIPLAuction 2026 on December 16 on https://t.co/4n69KTSZN3 💻 pic.twitter.com/7mKa3x6TwD — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) December 9, 2025 The franchises may engage in a serious bid for the veteran batsman Quinton de Kock ahead of the auction. Having played 96 T20I matches for South Africa so far, the left-hander has smashed 2615 runs, including a century and 16 half-centuries. He also has 11,452 T20 runs under his name. Over the years, Quinton has served as one of the pillars for the Proteas' batting lineup across all formats of the game. Rachin Ravindra is also in the race as he has scored 549 runs in 38 T20I matches for New Zealand. The franchises may also look at the 26-year-old batsman as a reliable option for the future. Ravindra has also registered 1922 runs in 116 T20 games. Swashbuckling batsman Liam Livingstone can also be an option for the middle-order batting lineup. The right-handed batsman has been a valuable player for England in the lower order. He has garnered 955 runs in 60 T20I matches for the "Three Lions". Australia's Steve Smith, who has been in fine touch, may be another player that the franchises may bid for. He has accumulated 1094 runs in 67 T20I matches for the Aussies. Prithvi Shaw, who showcased his form in domestic cricket, will be one of the interesting players to see this season. Considering his recent form in the domestic leagues, will Shaw get a buyer in the IPL 2026 auction? Pace spearhead Navdeep Saini can also bolster the bowling line-up of any team. So far, the pacer has played 87 T20 matches and has bagged 77 wickets. In the previous editions of the cash-rich league, Saini was seen making batsmen uncomfortable with his sheer pace. Similarly, there are several players who can walk out with a hefty amount of money during the auction, scheduled on December 16.
09 December,2025 07:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the first T20I match against Team India, South Africa skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Team India's star batsman Shubman Gill and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have returned to the team after missing out on the previous action due to injuries. Fans will keep a tab on Pandya, while Team India's think tank will expect him to make crucial contributions in the series opener. Additionally, it will be interesting to see how Gill performs after recovering from his neck injury. After winning the toss, South Africa skipper Markram said that the side is adjusting from Test cricket and ODIs to T20Is. He also added that the contest will help the Proteas to test themselves against the "Men in Blue". "We'll bowl first, expecting the conditions to be tricky. Dew's a factor, and it might get worse later on. We're adjusting quickly from Tests to ODIs to T20Is, it's all about mindset. We're looking to make the most of this series and test ourselves against India. We're hoping for some seam movement early on, and our team is ready to adapt," said Markram. Meanwhile, Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav said that his side was not sure about the decision, considering that the pitch appeared different to the hosts. The right-hander also stated that his team will be focusing on playing a fearless brand of cricket. "Losing the toss made me laugh, we were undecided anyway! The pitch looked different today, so it was a guess either way. We're fine batting first, it's a good challenge to put runs on the board. We'll treat the dew as a challenge and find ways to work around it. These next six months are massive for us, and we're focused on playing fearless cricket," said the 35-year-old cricketer. The five-match T20I contest will also serve as the preparatory series for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. IND vs SA 1st T20I: Confirmed Playing XI India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy. South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi.
09 December,2025 07:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
