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CRICKET | Kotak raves about Gill’s hunger for big scores

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:19:00 +0000

Shubman Gill in action against West Indies during the second ODI in Guwahati on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
| Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak highlighted Shubman Gill’s hunger to score big, calling the skipper’s unbeaten 233 against the West Indies here on Wednesday “one of the best innings” he had seen in ODI cricket.

“I feel that hunger is very important for a player. Normally, after getting to 100, you see batters get out. But when Gill was around 110-115, I felt he could probably get to 200.

“We always talk about the set batter finishing the game. Virat (Kohli) did it in the last match, and today Gill did it with Ruturaj (Gaikwad) alongside him. That hunger is important to play an innings like this.

“It was extremely humid. Even during the warm-up, we were out there for 45 minutes and were completely wet. We fielded for four hours, and then to bat the way Gill did was just unbelievable,” he said after the match.

Asked if it was a concern that the team had not been getting enough exposure to difficult conditions ahead of next year’s World Cup, he said: “As far as preparation is concerned, we’ll be playing five games in New Zealand.

“I’ve also been to South Africa, and there are wickets there that can be similar to our conditions. We have to prepare for whatever conditions come our way. Our batters will be ready.

“There will be difficult wickets in one-day cricket, and different venues will offer different conditions. Hopefully, by then, we’ll be prepared. Sometimes, I wonder how in the 1983 World Cup, 183 in 60 overs was a lot, and today even 400 doesn’t seem enough. Is it only the wickets, or is the standard of batting also going up? It’s debatable.”

West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul said India “played well in the PowerPlay” and put his team “on the back foot.” He added that the focus was on restoring “belief” among the bowlers.

Published – October 01, 2026 05:49 pm IST

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IND vs WI 1st ODI: India opt to bowl first

admin — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

India’s players stands for national song “Vande Mataram” during the first one day international cricket match between India and West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026
| Photo Credit: AP

India skipper Shubhman Gill opted to bowl against the West Indies in the series-opening ODI here on Sunday.

India have handed debut to spin all-rounder Naman Dhir as star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also return to action.

Teams:

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Naman Dhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.

West Indies: John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (wk, c), Amir Jangoo, Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, and Jayden Seales.

Published – September 27, 2026 02:30 pm IST

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Women’s T20 World Cup: England thrash New Zealand to knock champions out

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 06:17:00 +0000

New Zealand’s Sophie Devine in action during the England v New Zealand match at Kia Oval, London, Britain on June 27, 2026. Photo: Action Images via Reuters.

England hammered New Zealand by nine wickets on Saturday (June 28, 2026) to end the defending champions’ involvement at this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup.

New Zealand knew they had to beat England, already into the semi-finals, to reach the knockout phase after being handed a lifeline by Ireland ending their long wait for a T20 World Cup win with victory over the West Indies earlier in the day.

England made light of a target of 163 by equalling the highest successful run chase in Women’s T20 World Cup history with 16 balls to spare at the Oval.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge (89 not out) and Sophia Dunkley (49 not out) shared a partnership of 128 as tournament hosts England made it five wins out of five at this edition.

The line-up for next week’s semi-finals will be confirmed following the outcome of Sunday’s (June 28, 2026) heavyweight Group A clash between Australia and India.

But England’s win saw the West Indies into the last four as Group B runners-up.

It also signalled the end of New Zealand greats Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu’s international careers after the trio had previously announced they would retire after the World Cup.

Wyatt-Hodge set a new record for most runs at a single Women’s T20 World Cup, her current tally of 282 surpassing the 219 posted by Australia’s Beth Mooney in 2020.

“T20 cricket can be fickle, you’ve got to start again every time but I knew it was a beauty of a pitch and I loved batting out there with Dunks,” Wyatt-Hodge, 35, told the BBC.

Devine, 36, could only manage 30 on Saturday (June 27, 2026) and the 38-year-old Bates was run out for 19 in a total of 163-6, while Tahuhu’s 2.2 wicketless overs cost 22 runs.

“I came into this side as a kid and the three of them mentored me, and taught me so much,” said New Zealand captain Melie Kerr. “I feel very grateful to have had so much time with them.”

In Bristol, Ireland beat West Indies — the 2016 champions — by six wickets as they finally won a T20 World Cup match.

Ireland had lost all 21 of their previous games over five T20 World Cups but went into this match buoyed by a first win over 2016 champions the West Indies when the teams last met in Dublin earlier this month.

After Ireland restricted the West Indies to 128-7, Orla Prendergast led the chase with a superb 63 off 44 balls before Rebecca Stokell’s unbeaten 16 saw them home.

“There’s so much relief to finally have that win and so much happiness,” Prendergast, the player of the match, told Sky Sports.

Victory capped a memorable weekend for Ireland after the men’s side beat T20 world champions India in the first of a two-match series in Belfast on Friday (June 26, 2026) — their first win over the cricket superpower in any format.

Published – June 28, 2026 11:47 am IST

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Santner surge in vain, West Indies defends 164 to beat New Zealand by 7 runs

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 22:20:00 +0000

New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner bats during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

The West Indies bowled superbly in defence of a moderate total to beat New Zealand by seven runs on Wednesday (November 5, 2025) in the first game of a five-match Twenty20 series.

Captain Shai Hope top-scored with 53 from 39 balls as the West Indies made 164-6 after losing the toss and batting first on a pitch that was two-paced and unpredictable.

New Zealand was then going well at 70-2 in the 10th over, before losing seven wickets for 37 runs to slump to 107-9 in the 17th over.

The match seemed over but New Zealand captain Mitch Santner fanned home fans’ hopes with an outstanding display of power hitting as he made 55 from 28 balls.

Santner hit four fours and a six from the 18th over bowled by Matthew Forde, then three fours from the first three balls of the 19th over from Jason Holder.

New Zealand came to the final over needing 20 to win and Santner hit the third ball from Romario Shepherd for six.

But Santner couldn’t keep up the assault, taking only two runs from the next two balls before hitting a boundary from the final delivery.

“I think the way the West Indies bowled in the middle there, they really put pressure on us,” Santner said. “I guess we weren’t really able to go anywhere. We were reasonably happy with 164 at the turns but it was one of those nights I guess.”

The West Indies came to New Zealand from their series in Bangladesh and it seemed likely they would struggle in very different conditions where the ball swings and the bounce is more pronounced.

Eden Park usually provides pace and bounce, but Wednesday’s pitch was originally prepared for a rained-out Twenty20 against England last month and lacked its usual zip.

It produced a major challenge for all batters when the ball was banged into the surface.

The West Indies lost Brandon King (3) to the last ball of the first over of their innings from Jake Duffy. Alick Athanaze (16), who was lucky to avoid being run out at the non-striker’s end when he was 2, was eventually caught by Mark Chapman off Kyle Jamieson when he skied a pull shot.

The West Indies were 32-2 after the first power play.

Hope reached his ninth T20 half century with a six off Zak Foulkes’ bowling, then was clean bowled next ball swinging across the line at a delivery that stayed low.

Roston Chase (28) and Rovman Powell (33) put on 49 for the fifth wicket. Powell hit two fours and two sixes in a 23-ball knock, giving impetus to the innings as the West Indies added 53 in the last five overs.

New Zealand was 48-1 after the power play, losing Devon Conway (13) in the fourth over to a ball from Matthew Forde that was angled sharply in to the left-hander and pierced his tentative defensive shot. Tim Robinson (27) was out to the first ball after the power play.

New Zealand then became bogged down. Boundaries were rare and the fall of wickets regular as the Black Caps fell behind the run rate.

Chase bowled four excellent overs of off-spin to claim 3-26 and Jayden Seales took 3-32.

The teams meet again at the same venue on Thursday.

Published – November 06, 2025 03:50 am IST

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Rishad Hossain claims 6-35 as Bangladesh routs West Indies in first ODI

admin — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 18:05:00 +0000

Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain bowls a delivery. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

Legspinner Rishad Hossain claimed a career-best 6-35 as Bangladesh crushed West Indies by 74 runs on Saturday (October 18, 2025) in the opener of their three-match ODI series.

Rishad’s figures, the second-best by a Bangladeshi bowler behind Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s 6-26 against Kenya in 2006, helped wrap up the West Indies innings for 133 in 39 overs.

He also hit a 13 ball-26 to help Bangladesh post 207 before being all out in 49.4 overs.

Openers Brandon King and Alick Athanzae batted resolutely on a typically sluggish Mirpur wicket to give West Indies a glimmer of hope to chase down the total.

But the introduction of Rishad in the 12th changed the momentum.

Rishad broke through with the wicket of Athanaze (27) but King kept West Indies in the hunt.

Rishad was relentless and got the reward with the wicket of Keacy Carty (9) before baffling King, the top-scorer of West Indies with 44, with a leg-spin.

King’s dismissal left West Indies 82-3 in the 22nd over.

Rishad, who bowled eight overs in a row in his first spell, ripped through West Indies middle order as it lost next seven wickets for 51 runs.

Pacer Mustafizur Rahman had figures 2-16 to complement Rishad in demolishing the Caribbean batting lineup.

Earlier, Towhid Hridoy anchored Bangladesh’s innings after it was reduced to 8-2 in third over.

Hridoy scored 51 off 90 with three fours and rebuilt the innings by sharing 71-run with Najmul Hossain Shanto (32).

He steered offspinner Roston Chase past cover for a single to raise his 11th half-century off 87 balls but soon after was dismissed by Justin Greaves.

Debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon kept the side flowing but Chase (2-30) sent him back after he scored 46.

Rishad’s aggressive batting then propelled Bangladesh past 200-run mark and gave a boost ahead of defending the total.

The second match is Tuesday.

Published – October 18, 2025 11:35 pm IST

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Virender Sehwag’s Off-Spin, Jasprit Bumrah’s No Ball: 5 Unforgettable Moments From Champions Trophy History

admin — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 04:49:28 +0000

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 marks the ninth edition of the tournament, having first been held in 1998 as the ‘ICC KnockOut Trophy’. Over the years, the tournament has been won by seven nations, ensuring countless incredible moments on the field. With the Champions Trophy set to return in Pakistan and the UAE, we take a look back at five of the most iconic moments from past editions of the tournament, according to the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Virender Sehwag wins it with the ball

Star batter Virender Sehwag turned the game with his off-spin as India qualified for the final of the 2002 edition with an exciting triumph over South Africa in Colombo.

Sehwag had already contributed a splendid half-century as India posted a competitive total of 261/9 at R Premadasa Stadium, but the Proteas appeared in control during the run chase as they took the score to 200 with seven wickets still in hand and nine overs still remaining.

Enter Sehwag, who took the key wickets of Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener to seal an enthralling victory for India and book their place in the final against Sri Lanka.

West Indies’ heroic victory

Things looked bleak for the West Indies when key batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul was dismissed and the Caribbean side still required 81 runs for victory with just two wickets in hand against England in the 2004 title decider at The Oval in London, but an incredible ninth-wicket partnership between Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw paved the way for a remarkable run chase.

Browne and Bradshaw put on an unbeaten 71 as the West Indies successfully chased down England’s decent total of 217 with seven deliveries remaining as the Caribbean side claimed their inaugural title.

England stun South Africa at home

England had a day out in this high-scoring encounter at Centurion in 2009 as they booked their place in the knockout stages with an eye-catching triumph over the host nation South Africa.

Owais Shah was the hero with the bat as he smashed six sixes in an innings of 98, while pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad picked up three wickets apiece in reply as the Proteas fell agonisingly short in reply.

Graeme Smith played a lone hand for South Africa with a brilliant 141, but that wasn’t enough as England progressed to the semi-finals with plenty of momentum.

Lasith Malinga stars in low-scoring thriller

Low-scoring contests can often lead to climatic finishes and that was certainly the case in Cardiff in 2013 as New Zealand pulled off a remarkable one-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka.

Not many would have expected Sri Lanka’s low total of 138 to be competitive, but pacer Lasith Malinga had other ideas as he ripped through the Black Caps’ middle-order to reduce New Zealand to 122/8 in reply.

It was left to Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan to guide the Kiwis over the line, but not before Sri Lanka had threatened to produce a massive upset.

It was a memorable day at The Oval in London as Pakistan clinched their first Champions Trophy title with an emphatic victory over arch-rival India.

Fakhar Zaman leads Pakistan to victory over India

Opener Fakhar Zaman set the ball rolling with a superb century as Pakistan put 338/4 on the board and an inspired bowling performance from Mohammad Amir ensured that score was more than enough.

Fakhar was initially dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah, but a no-ball by India’s pace spearhead came back to haunt him as Fakhar took full advantage of his lifeline.

Amir tore through the heart of India’s top-order by dismissing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in quick succession and India could never recover as they were bundled out for just 158 in reply.

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Pakistan Keeper Azam Khan’s Embarrassing Error Costs Team A Wicket, Then Free-Hit For 6. Watch

admin — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 01:35:12 +0000

The 2025 edition of the International League T20 (ILT20) culminated on Sunday with Dubai Capitals clinching the title. In the summit clash, Dubai registered a thrilling four-wicket win over Desert Vipers to ear their maiden title. Opting to bowl first, the Capitals conceded 189 runs as Max Holden and skipper Sam Curran scored 76 and 62 runs respectively for the Vipers. Later, the Capitals bounced back in style and chased down the target with four balls to spare. Apart from this thrilling chase, the match also had a controversial moment.

In the 8th over of the Capitals’ chase, Vipers wicketkeeper Azam Khan showed his amazing skills to stump out Rovman Powell on Nathan Sowter’s delivery. As the Vipers began to celebrate Powell’s dismissal, the TV umpire saw that Azam’s gloves were in line with the stumps when stumped out Powell.

Drama drama drama!

An erroneous stumping No ball declared Batter called back Wide Free Hit hit for

And ALL that action in just ONE BALL! It’s all happening out there!#Final #DPWorldILT20 #TheFinalPush #AllInForCricket @DPWorldUAE @DP_World @ilt20onzee pic.twitter.com/Hlf6Im5m2l

— International League T20 (@ILT20Official) February 9, 2025

Hence, the Caribbean batter was called back as the delivery was declared a no-ball. However, the action did not end here. The next delivery, which was a free-hit, Sowter ended up throwing it as a wide ball. Finally, when he delivered the next ball perfectly, Powell comfortably smashed it for a six.

This blunder by Azam Khan proved to be expensive for the Vipers as he went on to score 63 off 38 balls.

Talking about the match, chasing 189, Sikandar Raza provided the decisive late surge with a blistering 12-ball 34, sealing victory in the final over. Earlier, Rovman Powell’s 63 and Shai Hope‘s composed 43 (in 39 balls, with two fours and a six) laid the foundation for the Capitals’ triumphant chase, as per an ILT20 press release.

For the Vipers, Max Holden’s innings of 76 runs weathered the loss of early wickets before Sam Curran took control of proceedings with an unbeaten half-century, studded with five fours and three sixes. Azam Khan also stepped up on the occasion with a boundary-laden cameo of 27 runs in the death overs.

The Capitals beat the Desert Vipers for a sixth consecutive time. Capitals took home the cash prize of USD 700,000 while the Desert Vipers were awarded USD 300,000.

Adding to the excitement of a grand final and a new champion, the ILT20’s signature awards that recognise outstanding individual performances saw Shai Hope walk away with the Green Belt (best batter), finishing the competition with 529 runs. MI Emirates’ Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed the White Belt (best bowler) for his 21 wickets in 11 innings.

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International Masters League 2025 To Start On February 22

admin — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 12:09:05 +0000

Cricket fans are in for a prime-time feast, with old rivals poised to return to action. The International Masters League (IML) has unveiled the schedule of fixtures for the highly-anticipated inaugural season, which will feature six teams – India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. JioStar’s Disney+ Hotstar along with Colors Cineplex (SD & HD) and Colors Cineplex Superhits will broadcast the tournament live for all cricket aficionados. The matches will begin at 7:30 pm.

The opening game, scheduled for February 22, 2025, will witness a faceoff between the Asian giants. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar will lead an Indian team against a Sri Lankan side led by Kumar Sangakkara, one of Sri Lanka’s most successful captains.

IML will be a celebration of cricket’s unique and enduring legacy. I can’t wait to step back onto the field with my contemporaries in a league that will be intense and competitive, with all the teams playing hard, but fair”, Sachin Tendulkar, the captain of the Indian team, said.

“The IML is a tribute to cricket’s timeless charm. It is a wonderful opportunity for former cricketers. It’s a platform where they can relive old rivalries and reconnect with fans. I am excited to participate in this historic league alongside so many illustrious names”, said Kumar Sangakkara, the captain of the Sri Lankan team.

“We are thrilled and honoured to partner with JioStar for the IML. We have no doubt that JioStar, with its experience and, expertise in sports broadcasting, will make the league a memorable experience for cricket fans across the globe”, Jahan Mehta, Director, FSPM, said.

“We are delighted to broadcast the inaugural season of the International Masters League on Disney+ Hotstar, along with our linear channels Colors Cineplex and Colors Cineplex Superhits. The IML is more than just a cricket tournament-it is a reunion of greatness. Fans can expect thrilling matches, expert commentary, exclusive behind-the-scenes access and a lot of nostalgia, in the weeks to come,” said Rohan Lavsi, Head – Hindi Movies Business, JioStar.

The IML match-schedule is as follows:

After five matches in Navi Mumbai, the IML will move to Rajkot; thereafter, the matches will move to Raipur. Raipur will also host the semi-finals and final.

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“Novice Mistakes”: After Loss vs West Indies, Pakistan Blasted By Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Ramiz Raja

admin — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 16:05:54 +0000

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja launched a scathing tirade after Pakistan, for the first time in 34 years, lost a Test against the West Indies on home turf. After ending Bazball’s dominance with a 2-1 series win against England last year, Men in Green thought they had cracked the formula for victory at home – producing a turning strip. The trend of competing on spin paradise continued during the two-match Test series against the West Indies.

In the opening Test, the Caribbean side withered on Multan’s surface, where the ball spun right from the opening hour. But after losing the series opener, the West Indies upped the ante in the second Test, especially on the batting front and bounced back with a 120-run victory, their first in 34 years in Pakistan.

According to Ramiz, the frustrating thing about the Pakistan team is dropping the tempo against weak opposition, a mistake that the former cricketer doesn’t expect from the Asian side.

“It is hard to justify this defeat. When you prepare such a brutal spin track, it becomes a lottery. So winning the toss becomes an important thing, and every inning becomes important. The frustrating thing about Pakistan Cricket is against the top teams, we play in top gear, but against weak teams, we drop our standard. Novice mistakes. You don’t expect such mistakes from Pakistan cricket, especially from batters,” Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.

In the opening Test, the beleaguered West Indies side tried to resist Pakistan’s spin prowess but eventually succumbed to a 127-run defeat. Even after suffering a bitter loss, the expression ona the faces of the West Indies players suggested that they had figured out their next plan of action.

But in the second game, signs pointing towards Pakistan’s defeat were all over the place when the visiting party won the toss and decided to bat. A fiery stand from the tail-end lifted the West Indies from 38/7 to 163.

With a slender 9-run lead, the West Indies captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, blazed his way to a valuable 52(73) to propel his side to a competitive total of 244.

Sajid Khan, who has been at the forefront of Pakistan’s recent home success, wavered in his line and lengths and leaked runs throughout his spell. Even the batters couldn’t use their feet to negate the spin threat.

Ramiz was quick to note the flaws in Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in Multan and added, “Things can’t be taken for granted. Spinners gave away runs, and the batting lineup was disappointing. You have to think whether the batters can survive or not. Nobody was expecting that the West Indies would end the second Test on Day 3 and leave with a series draw.”

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1st Time In 141 Years: Pakistan Star Noman Ali Scripts History, Achieves Mammoth Feat

admin — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 13:28:05 +0000

Pakistan cricket team spinner Noman Ali scripted history after taking a hat-trick during the second Test encounter against West Indies in Multan. Although Pakistan went on to lose the match, Noman’s feat on Day 1 cemented his position in an elite list. Within the first hour of the match, Noman took the wickets of Justin Greaves (1), Tevin Imlach (0) and Kevin Sinclair (0) to become the sixth bowler to take a Test hat-trick in the first session of play on the opening day of the match. He was only the second spinner in history to achieve the feat after Australia’s Billy Bates (1883). The Pakistan spinner is also the second-oldest player (38 years, 139 days days) to take a Test hat-trick after Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (38 years, 110 days).

Coming to the match, spinner Jomel Warrican took five wickets as the West Indies won a Test match in Pakistan Monday for the first time in nearly 35 years.

The West Indies won the second Test in Multan by 120 runs on day three to draw the series 1-1.

Pakistan triumphed in the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan.

Warrican finished with nine wickets in the match — 19 in the series — to give the hosts a taste of their own medicine on sharply spinning pitches.

The last time the West Indies won a Test in Pakistan was in Faisalabad in November 1990, having gone winless on their 1997 and 2006 tours.

“We haven’t played in Pakistan for a number of years, but we haven’t won here in a while, so to come here and do it as a young group is incredible,” said West Indian skipper Kraigg Brathwaite.

(With AFP inputs)

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