Mumbai Indians secured a dominant six-wicket victory over UP Warriorz in the 16th match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025, courtesy of stellar performances from Amelia Kerr and Hayley Matthews. Kerr's brilliant five-wicket haul (5-38) and Matthews' all-round brilliance (2-25 & 68 off 46 balls) ensured Mumbai chased down the target of 151 with ease at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Opting to bat first, the UP Warriorz got off to their best start of the season, with Georgia Voll (55 off 33) leading the charge. The openers put up a 74-run stand, but the Mumbai bowlers bounced back swiftly. Kerr’s variations proved too much for UPW’s middle order as she triggered a collapse, dismissing key batters and ensuring the hosts couldn’t capitalise on their start. Matthews, too, played a pivotal role with the ball, providing crucial breakthroughs and maintaining pressure in the middle overs. Despite the early momentum, UPW stuttered in the latter half, managing just 150/9 at the end of 20 overs, with Voll’s half-century being the only notable contribution in a crumbling lineup. Mumbai’s chase began with a surprising move as Amelia Kerr opened the innings alongside Matthews. Kerr had an eventful stay, surviving an early dismissal off a no-ball but eventually falling for 10 (13) to Chinelle Henry. Nat Sciver-Brunt then joined Matthews in the middle, and the duo swiftly took control. Matthews was in sublime form, striking boundaries at will, including back-to-back fours off Sophie Ecclestone. Sciver-Brunt complemented her well, ensuring Mumbai stayed ahead of the required run rate. A particularly expensive over from Gouher Sultana, in which 16 runs were conceded, dented UPW’s hopes further. Matthews soon reached a well-deserved half-century in 35 balls, anchoring the innings as Mumbai inched closer to victory. Though UPW managed to break the 92-run partnership when Grace Harris dismissed Sciver-Brunt for 37 (23 balls), the damage was already done. Matthews continued her aggressive approach but perished for 68 (46), mistiming a slower delivery to Voll at deep mid-wicket. Despite losing Matthews and later Harmanpreet Kaur (4 off 9), Mumbai remained in firm control. Yastika Bhatia (10 not out) and Amanjot Kaur (12 not out) ensured no further hiccups, with the former sealing the win with a boundary. Mumbai Indians chased down the target in 18.2 overs, winning by six wickets and strengthening their position in the tournament. Brief scores:UP Warriorz 150/9 in 20 overs (Georgia Voll 55, Grace Harris 28; Amelia Kerr 5-38, Hayley Matthews 2-25) lost to Mumbai Indians 153/4 in 18.3 overs) Hayley Matthews 68, Nat Sciver-Brunt 37; Grace Harris 2-11, Chinelle Henry 1-28) by six 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
07 March,2025 06:55 AM IST | Lucknow | IANSWith two consecutive wins firming up their bid for a spot in the Women’s Premier League Playoffs, Gujarat Giants will look to carry forward the momentum in their top-of-the-table clash against Delhi Capitals here on Friday. Gujarat Giants were languishing at the bottom of the WPL points table but two big wins — by six wickets over Royal Challengers Bengaluru and by 81 runs against UP Warriorz — have propelled them to the second position in the five-team points table. On Friday, the second-ranked Giants, with six points in as many games, will have the perfect opportunity to put their recent ascent to test against a formidable Delhi Capitals, who sit atop the table with 10 points. 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
07 March,2025 06:54 AM IST | Lucknow | PTIFrustrated with the scheduling of Champions Trophy’s second semi-final after to-and-fro flights between Pakistan and Dubai in a span of just 12 hours, South African batter David Miller is now hoping for a New Zealand victory in the tournament’s title clash against India. With a brilliant hundred, Miller was the lone ranger in his side’s defeat to the Black Caps in their last-four stage clash in Lahore on Wednesday.“I’ll be honest with you. I think I’ll be supporting New Zealand,” Miller was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. South Africa had to take an early morning flight to Dubai the night after playing their final group game in Karachi. With the tournament being played in a hybrid model, both Australia and South Africa were camped in Dubai waiting for the result of the group game between India and New Zealand. As Group ‘B’ toppers, South Africa had to take the flight back to Pakistan to play their semi-final as the last-four match involving India was to be held in Dubai.After scoring a hundred in a losing cause, Miller termed the scheduling not ideal. “It’s only an hour and-40-minute flight, but the fact is that we had to do that. It’s early morning, it’s after a game, and we had to fly. Then we got to Dubai at 4pm. And at 7.30 in the morning we had to come back. It doesn’t make it nice. It’s not like we flew five hours, and we had enough time to recover and recuperate. But it was not an ideal situation still,” Miller said. The final will be played in Dubai on Sunday. Miller’s comments came after his teammate Rassie van der Dussen had referred to India’s advantage of playing all their games at one venue. Though he wants New Zealand to win the final against India, Miller expects it to be a tight affair. “They’re both incredibly good teams. India have shown the world how really good they are. They’ve been playing some good cricket for a number of years now and they’ve got some seriously good players. It’s going to be a great game,” said Miller. South Africa had lost last year’s T20 World Cup final to India and on Wednesday they once again failed in a knockout game. “There were really good contributions, a couple of fifties up front. We had a really good foundation. Unfortunately, in the middle, we lost a couple of wickets too many,” he said of the steep run chase against New Zealand. 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
07 March,2025 06:54 AM IST | Lahore | PTIFormer New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has supported India pacer Mohammed Shami’s call to revoke the saliva ban on the ball in international cricket to assist bowlers in getting reverse swing from the ball. The International Cricket Council had, in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic as a temporary measure, barred players from using saliva to polish the ball. In September 2022, it was permanently banned by the ICC. After India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final, Shami said, “We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed. We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting.” Supporting Shami’s call, Southee urged the ICC to revoke the ban on using saliva to shine the ball. “That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers’ favour,” Southee said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day. 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
07 March,2025 06:53 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSBoth Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar would be proud of Rachin Ravindra for the way he’s shaping his career. Named by his father after the combination of the duo’s first names, Ravindra, 25, has been gradually living up to the potential. He was eager to make a mark on his first tour of Pakistan, but unfortunately, an injury to his forehead while attempting a catch in an ODI game in Lahore kept him out for a fortnight. He also missed the opening game of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan, but made a grand return by striking a superb century against Bangladesh. Then, his sojourn to Dubai to face India was not as successful, but the moment he returned to Pakistan for the semi-final, he struck his second century of the tournament. After the win over Proteas, his former captain Kane Williamson praised the young batter who has the potential to take over the batting mantle from Williamson. “Rachin is an incredibly special talent. It’s always great to bat with him. He goes out and plays with freedom. He’s so gifted, really, really confident, clear in what he’s trying to do. We’ve seen it on so many occasions, especially in big tournaments, where he has stood up and shone, and we’ve seen it here again. Hopefully, he can continue that into the next match as he is batting beautifully.” When India take on New Zealand in the final on Sunday, there will be a battle within the battle as Virat Kohli and Ravindra contest for top batting honours. After just three matches, Ravindra (226 runs) is second in the list, just one run behind leader Ben Duckett of England, while Kohli (217) is in fourth spot after four matches, eight runs behind Joe Root at No. 3. With just nine runs separating Kohli and Ravindra, it’s difficult to predict who will end up as the tournament’s top run-getter. Ravindra though has had limited success against India in both Tests and ODIs. He made his Test debut at Kanpur in 2021, scoring 13 and 18. In the second Test at the Wankhede, he got four and 18. However, when he returned for a Test series in November 2024, he struck 134 and 39* at Bangalore, 65 and nine at Pune and five and four in Mumbai, as NZ swept the series 3-0. In ODIs, Ravindra has played just three games against India, scoring 94, with 75 being the highest. Undoubtedly, he’d love to improve this record against India, beginning with the final on Sunday.
07 March,2025 06:52 AM IST | Dubai | Santosh SuriSouth Africa’s semi-final elimination by New Zealand in Lahore on Wednesday leaves India as the only unbeaten team of the Champions Trophy, heading into Sunday’s final here. Bittersweet 16 months It’s been a bittersweet 16 months for South African cricket. They have been supremely consistent across formats, evidenced by their semi-final appearances in the 50-over World Cup in India in late 2023 and now in the Champions Trophy, and by their entry into the final of the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown in June, when they somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against India. For all their consistency, they haven’t any silverware to show, an anomaly they will seek to rectify in the final of the World Test Championship against Australia in three months’ time. The Lord’s showdown between the two best Test sides at the moment promises a mouthwatering clash of equals; the onus will be on South Africa to shed the tag of bridesmaids, a tag that has been affixed to them seemingly forever. Amidst the slew of meltdowns and heartbreaks, their title triumph in the inaugural ICC KnockOut Trophy (the original avatar of the Champions Trophy) in Dhaka in 1998 has been all but forgotten. David Miller, the middle-order batter whose unbeaten century against New Zealand on Wednesday came in a losing cause, reflected on the short visit his side was forced to make from Lahore to Dubai for a potential semi-final against India back to Lahore, terming it far from ‘ideal’ ahead of a match as important as this. Miller didn’t hold that as the reason for South Africa’s elimination — that can’t explain them conceding 362 runs in 50 overs — but one could see where he’s coming from. Dubai trip aborted South Africa’s abortive trip to Dubai was another fallout of the hybrid model the tournament was forced to adopt once it became clear that India would not be given permission to play in Pakistan. Perhaps there is a lesson from the happenings of the last fortnight for the International Cricket Council, though what that lesson is and how to move on from that are up in the air. A host of global and continental events are scheduled to be hosted by India or by Pakistan in the next few years. If this standoff continues and both teams are unable to play in the other nation, compromises must be struck, of course, but a less complicated travel and scheduling methodology needs to be arrived at. It’s more than likely that the T20 Asia Cup, to be hosted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, will be staged in its entirety this September either in the UAE or in Sri Lanka, so any immediate repeat of the Champions Trophy fiasco can be ruled out. But going forward, the efficacy of a hybrid model must be debated at length because clearly, the way it stands right now does not do a majority of the teams any favours. Adaptable Kiwis Having handled the Dubai-Lahore turnover with aplomb, New Zealand must now rejig their approach for Sunday’s title clash against Rohit Sharma’s men. Of all the teams in the tournament, they are the least fussy and the most adaptable. Perhaps that’s why they are in the final.
07 March,2025 06:44 AM IST | Dubai | R KaushikFormer South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers hailed Team India stalwart Virat Kohli for stepping out of his comfort zone during the last season of the IPL. The South African stated that winning the IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) would be a perfect finishing touch to his legendary career. RCB will kickstart their IPL 2025 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 22 at the Eden Gardens. The Challengers will be hunting for their first ever title win, which would mean a lot for Virat Kohli, who has been representing the same team since 2008. Speaking exclusively on JioHotstar, AB recalled the criticism Virat Kohli received for his strike rate in the initial stages of the competition, calling it "ridiculous". "The scrutiny over Virat's strike rate was absolutely ridiculous. He had done exactly what his team needed from him. It is all about the situation. When he has someone at the other end he trusts, you see him experiment and play with more freedom. But when that's not the case, he stays true to his natural game--anchoring the innings when needed," said AB on JioHotstar. In the first six matches of the season, Virat scored 319 runs at an average of 79.75, with a century and two fifties, but his strike rate of around 141 generated immense criticism from fans and experts who felt that his more cautious approach, especially against spin, held RCB back. Also Read: "India have real clarity on how they want to operate in Dubai": Kane Williamson However, Virat responded back with immense improvements against spin, utilisation of slog sweep against them and hitting more sixes. In next nine matches, he scored 422 runs at an average of 52.75, with three half-centuries. However, his strike rate skyrocketed to around 166, marking a massive improvement. He ended the season with 38 sixes, on par with his best season of 2016 season, when he scored 952 runs with four centuries and seven fifties. His attacking approach played a key role in RCB turning a new leaf in their campaign after just one win in first eight matches, winning the next six on bounce to make it to the playoffs, where they lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the eliminator. Virat Kohli concluded the IPL 2024 as the highest run-scorer. Having played 15 matches, the right-hander garnered 741 runs with an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69. He had one century and five half-centuries to his name. However, AB hailed him for stepping out of his comfort zone and trying new shots. "He has always had that ability in him. You can see how much it means to him. Winning the IPL with RCB would be the perfect finishing touch to his already phenomenal career. He was outstanding last season. His strike rate was not the problem--he played exactly the role his team needed him to. Unlike someone like Fraser McGurk for Delhi Capitals, Virat had the responsibility of holding the innings together. He deserves full credit for playing a crucial role in RCB's qualification," he added. Even former South African captain Graeme Smith agreed that the criticism on Virat's strike rate was "unfair". "He had single-handedly carried RCB's batting line-up, which is a massive responsibility, especially when others around him were not delivering," he added. Former New Zealand batter Scott Styris also said that Virat's strike rate was not an issue during the powerplay, but after it, during the middle overs. Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson also added on Virat Kohli's T20 game, saying, "He knew that if he doesn't increase his scoring rate, if he does not allow himself more freedom at the crease instead of playing it safe, he risks being left behind in the modern T20 game." Former Team India cricketer Robin Uthappa who played alongside Virat Kohli said that growth is a natural of his journey. "It was never a question of 'if' but 'when' he would integrate shots like the slog sweep into his game," he concluded. (With ANI Inputs)
06 March,2025 06:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final match against Australia, Team India star pacer Mohammed Shami was seen consuming an energy drink. Following his national duty, some of the Muslim groups have targeted Shami for not keeping roza during the month of Ramadan. In the Muslim community and followers of Islam, fasting during Ramadan is considered a holy act. Over the years, India has had many Muslim players, such as Mohammed Azharuddin, Mohammed Siraj, Irfan Pathan and even Zaheer Khan, who have performed at the highest level for the national side. Unfortunately, many players, who are Hindu or non-Hindu, have often faced criticism over their habits while playing for the team. This has also extended to their family members. Also Read: Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim calls time on his ODI career While Ramzan is currently being observed by the community, the players are allowed to follow their own beliefs. Does the selection panel of Team India pick players based on their religion? No, they do not because the players are picked on the basis of their performances and their ability to deliver whenever they are on national duty. Irrespective of religion, Mohammed Shami is an Indian first and has always given his best on the field. Over the years, Mohammed Shami has delivered performances for the national side in almost all the ICC events. There have been instances when the pacer's former wife accused him of fixing matches while representing India. Despite being accused by his former wife, Shami stated that he would prefer facing death rather than thinking of going against the country. In the semi-final match of the Champions Trophy 2025 against Australia, Mohammed Shami returned with figures of three wickets for 48 runs in 10 overs. Following his contributions and riding on Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul's knocks, India emerged victorious against the Aussies. The victory against Steve Smith-led Australian team helped India cement their place in the Champions Trophy 2025 final. Rohit Sharma and team will now again lock horns with New Zealand in the finals of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on March 9.
06 March,2025 06:35 PM IST | Mumbai | Sujay ShivalkarA packed BCA Stadium in Vadodara was treated to a vintage Sachin Tendulkar masterclass as the batting great turned back the clock with a remarkable display during a high-scoring International Masters League (IML) 2025 game between India Masters and Australia Masters. Despite skipper Shane Watson (110*) and Ben Dunk (132*) smashing unbeaten centuries to help Australia Masters register a 95-run victory, it was Tendulkar’s fluent strokeplay —featuring some of his signature shots — that stole the spotlight, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. Tendulkar’s quick-fire 64 off just 33 balls included seven fours and four spectacular sixes. The highlight of his innings was a stunning straight six off pacer Ben Hilfenhaus, as he took on the Australian attack with fearless intent. The shot not only thrilled the fans but also took the opposition skipper Watson down the memory lane as he later termed it the ‘shot of the night’. Also Read: "India have real clarity on how they want to operate in Dubai": Kane Williamson “We won the match, but I think Sachin played the shot of the night. That straight drive took me back 15 years instantly. The way he hit that straight drive for six, I think all the boys were silently clapping. There were two standout shots: that straight drive for six and then the cover drive for six. You could see how happy Sachin was with that one—he immediately put his head down as if to say, ‘I’ve been wanting to play that shot for a while’. It was a treat to be out there,” Watson said after the match. The ongoing inaugural season of IML has been providing fans with an incredible opportunity to witness some of cricket’s greatest players back in action. The final is set to take place in Raipur on March 16. Watson further highlighted the tournament’s high-level competition, adding: “It’s so much fun to be out in the middle again, playing against someone like Sachin Tendulkar and watching him do his thing tonight—it was ridiculously good. Getting the chance to bat, play alongside so many of my good friends from the Australian team, and be part of this league is amazing. The quality of cricket has been outstanding, and if people at home aren’t entertained, I don’t know what will entertain them.” Chasing a target of 270, India Masters were bowled out for 174 with Xavier Doherty claiming five for 25. Later tonight, Kumar Sangakkara-led Sri Lanka Masters will take on Brian Lara’s West Indies Masters in another exciting contest at 7pm. Fans can also watch the action live on Colors Cineplex (HD & SD) and Colors Cineplex Superhits on TV and livestreaming on JioHotstar. 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.
06 March,2025 06:16 PM IST | Baroda | mid-day online correspondentNew Zealand's premier batsman Kane Williamson feels that Team India has a real clarity on how they are going to execute their plans ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025 final. He stated that following Team India has played all their Champions Trophy 2025 matches at the same venue. Kane Williamson did not specifically say that India has an advantage of playing at the same venue. Earlier, New Zealand had played two matches in Lahore during the tri-series which featured Pakistan and South Africa, too. "I suppose having played there on a number of occasions; there's real clarity in how they want to operate," said Kane Williamson when asked if India go into the final with an advantage of knowing the conditions. "A little bit like our opportunity here, having played a number of times at this venue as well and I think that's part and parcel in cricket," he added. Following his century in the semi-final, Kane Williamson is high on confidence and is looking forward to the Champions Trophy 2025 final. "It is what it is (India play all games in Dubai). Our focus is the next match, the location of that match, the opposition, they're all factors. Obviously, we played India once there," he said. Also Read: Team India's Rohit Sharma achieves a unique milestone "The conditions are different, so it's important that we try and take away some of those positives and be nice and clear in how we're trying to operate come two or three-days' time in the final," he said referring to New Zealand's loss to India in the group stage. Both Williamson and Ravindra struck hundreds to fashion New Zealand's emphatic win. Kane Williamson praised Rachin who scored two centuries in three matches of the Champions Trophy 2025. "It's a final, so it's exciting. If we go back to Rachin, an incredibly special talent. It's always great to bat with him. He goes out and he puts the team first and he plays with that freedom." "When we were out there batting together, there were moments where there were some good spells and it was a little bit challenging. We tried to feed off each other and keep each other focused on the job," Williamson said. "He's so gifted, really, really confident, clear in what he's trying to do. We've seen it on so many occasions. In big tournaments where he stood up and shone, and we've seen it here again in this one," added the former New Zealand captain. The conditions in the UAE have favoured spinners with the slow surface making stroke-making tough. But the fact that New Zealand have played a game in Dubai can only help them in the final, feels Williamson. "Yeah definitely the conditions are a lot different but you know that's sort of the nature of the beast I think in any tournament that you have, conditions change a little bit throughout. For us, it was nice to have that last match against India. There's some really good bits there," he said. "India are an outstanding team and playing really well. So, look, it's important we try and take away some learnings from that last game. Park this match, and in a final, anything can happen." (With PTI Inputs)
06 March,2025 05:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim announced his retirement from ODI cricket with immediate effect. Mushfiqur Rahim was part of Bangladesh's team that exited the Champions Trophy 2025. He took to his official social media handle to make the announcement. "I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format as of today. Alhamdulillah (Thank God) for everything. While our achivements may have been limited on a global level, one thing is certain: whenever I stepped onto the field for my country, I gave more than 100% with dedication and honesty," Mushfiqur Rahim wrote on his official Facebook page. "The last few weeks have been very challenging for me, and I have come to realize that this is my destiny. Lastly, I would like to deeply thank my family, friends and my fans for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years," he added. Also Read: "Will need to adapt on unknown Dubai pitch": Rachin Ravindra Having debuted in ODIs almost 20 years ago, Mushfiqur Rahim has represented Bangladesh in 274 ODIs. He garnered 7,795 runs with an average of 36.42. Only Tamim Iqbal (8357 runs) has scored more ODI runs than him for Bangladesh. He has also played 94 Tests and 102 T20s. In the team's disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, Rahim failed to score against India before making just two runs against New Zealand. Mushfiqur Rahim has already retired from the shortest format but in the longest format, he is on course to become first from his country to play 100 Tests. In the Champions Trophy 2025, Team India defeated Australia in the semi-final one to seal the finals of the marquee event. On the other hand, New Zealand emerged victorious against South Africa in the semi-final two. The final of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on March 9. (With PTI Inputs)
06 March,2025 01:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
