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Coach Brendon McCullum concedes England got their preparations wrong heading into the Ashes, but believes they can salvage some pride in the final two Tests at Melbourne and Sydney. The tourists arrived in Australia bullish that they could win a series in the country for the first time since 2010-11. But their hopes imploded with heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane before a closer contest at Adelaide, leaving the ultra-aggressive "Bazball" style of cricket McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes pioneered in tatters. Their Ashes demise in just 11 days was the joint-second quickest in more than a century.&nbsp;England had just one warm-up fixture in Australia, against their second-tier Lions side, and lost the opening Test in Perth inside two days. Former captains Ian Botham, Michael Vaughan and Graham Gooch all criticised the limited preparation, with disgruntled skipper Ben Stokes sparking a backlash after calling them "has-beens". They then opted to skip a pink-ball opportunity in Canberra before the day-night second Test at the Gabba, instead spending five days in the Brisbane nets.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-wi-3rd-test-jacob-duffy-five-for-triggers-west-indies-collapse-as-new-zealand-seal-series-1766376330724">Duffy’s five-for triggers West Indies collapse as New Zealand seal Test series 2-0</a>&nbsp;Like Perth, that Test was lost by eight wickets and McCullum bizarrely claimed they had "overprepared".&nbsp;"What did we get right? What did we get wrong? Probably we go back to the preparation, that'll be something that gets questioned," McCullum told TNT Sports after the 82-run Adelaide defeat. "And when you've lost 3-0, you need to put your hand up and say, 'maybe I didn't get that preparation right'.&nbsp;"It's not just leading into the first game. It's could we have done more leading into game one, and could we have done less leading into game two?&nbsp;"I didn't get that right because we lost 3-0. Lots to digest, look through and be better next time."&nbsp;The fourth Test starts in Melbourne on December 26, and England could freshen up the side.<h3>‘Great opportunity’</h3>&nbsp;An under-performing Ollie Pope is facing the axe with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings, but their options are limited, and McCullum said they would not be looking outside the squad they have.&nbsp;"We'll have a look a look at the conditions (in Melbourne) and, as we always do, we'll try and work out what we think will give us the best chance in that game," he said. “If that's changes, it's changes. If it's not, it's not. We'll assess that when we get to Melbourne.”&nbsp;England at least showed more fight in Adelaide as they chased what would have been a world record 435 to win.&nbsp;McCullum admitted they had been outplayed across all three Tests, but said he saw encouraging signs in Adelaide and "we do have a great opportunity in the next two Tests".&nbsp;"We need to find something out of this tour, salvage some pride and play for all the people who have come to Australia to support this team and all the people back in England who have supported this team as well," he said. “If we get into that state where we just play the game and immerse yourself in the state of what needs to be done and allow your talent to come out in pressure situations, then you've got every opportunity.”&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

England lost the series opener in Perth inside two days, the next day/night Test at the Gabba, before conceding the Ashes in the third Test in Adelaide. 

Coach Brendon McCullum concedes England got their preparations wrong heading into the Ashes, but believes they can salvage some pride in the final two Tests at Melbourne and Sydney. The tourists arrived in Australia bullish that they could win a series in the country for the first time since 2010-11. But their hopes imploded with heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane before a closer contest at Adelaide, leaving the ultra-aggressive "Bazball" style of cricket McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes pioneered in tatters. Their Ashes demise in just 11 days was the joint-second quickest in more than a century. England had just one warm-up fixture in Australia, against their second-tier Lions side, and lost the opening Test in Perth inside two days. Former captains Ian Botham, Michael Vaughan and Graham Gooch all criticised the limited preparation, with disgruntled skipper Ben Stokes sparking a backlash after calling them "has-beens". They then opted to skip a pink-ball opportunity in Canberra before the day-night second Test at the Gabba, instead spending five days in the Brisbane nets. Also read | Duffy’s five-for triggers West Indies collapse as New Zealand seal Test series 2-0 Like Perth, that Test was lost by eight wickets and McCullum bizarrely claimed they had "overprepared". "What did we get right? What did we get wrong? Probably we go back to the preparation, that'll be something that gets questioned," McCullum told TNT Sports after the 82-run Adelaide defeat. "And when you've lost 3-0, you need to put your hand up and say, 'maybe I didn't get that preparation right'. "It's not just leading into the first game. It's could we have done more leading into game one, and could we have done less leading into game two? "I didn't get that right because we lost 3-0. Lots to digest, look through and be better next time." The fourth Test starts in Melbourne on December 26, and England could freshen up the side. ‘Great opportunity’ An under-performing Ollie Pope is facing the axe with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings, but their options are limited, and McCullum said they would not be looking outside the squad they have. "We'll have a look a look at the conditions (in Melbourne) and, as we always do, we'll try and work out what we think will give us the best chance in that game," he said. “If that's changes, it's changes. If it's not, it's not. We'll assess that when we get to Melbourne.” England at least showed more fight in Adelaide as they chased what would have been a world record 435 to win. McCullum admitted they had been outplayed across all three Tests, but said he saw encouraging signs in Adelaide and "we do have a great opportunity in the next two Tests". "We need to find something out of this tour, salvage some pride and play for all the people who have come to Australia to support this team and all the people back in England who have supported this team as well," he said. “If we get into that state where we just play the game and immerse yourself in the state of what needs to be done and allow your talent to come out in pressure situations, then you've got every opportunity.” Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

England lost the series opener in Perth inside two days, the next day/night Test at the Gabba, before conceding the Ashes in the third Test in Adelaide.&nbsp;

Brendon McCullum admits errors in Ashes preparations as ENG aim to salvage pride

New Zealand crushed West Indies by 323 runs after tea on Monday to win the third Test at Mount Maunganui and seal a 2-0 series victory, with Jacob Duffy's five-wicket haul proving crucial to the win. The hosts set a target of 462 and bowled out the tourists for 138, wrapping up the innings in just four overs after tea following a dramatic collapse either side of lunch. Duffy finished with 5-42, backed up by Ajaz Patel, who claimed 3-23, while opener Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with 67.&nbsp;New Zealand's Devon Conway scored 227 and 100 in two innings, while captain Tom Latham scored 137 and 101 -- the first opening pair in first-class cricket history to score twin centuries in the same match -- to help set up the Black Caps' win.&nbsp;The series began with a draw in Christchurch, before New Zealand won the second Test in Wellington.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jemimah-rodrigues-unbeaten-half-century-helps-india-women-take-1-0-lead-against-sri-lanka-1766338404710">Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten half-century helps India Women take 1-0 lead against Sri Lanka</a>&nbsp;On a cracked surface offering uneven movement and bounce, seamer Duffy and spinner Patel posed constant danger to both edges of the bat. West Indies collapsed from 87-0 to 112-8 either side of lunch. The visitors had started the day 43-0, with Brandon King on 37 and John Campbell on two.King dominated early, hitting a flurry of cuts and drives and scoring 53 of the team's first 59 runs.&nbsp;Initially, New Zealand captain Latham's fields lacked aggression on a pitch that looked increasingly difficult to bat on, but that changed after the drinks break. Duffy broke the opening stand at 87, King gloving a rising delivery to Glenn Phillips at gully for 67. Patel struck in the next over, removing Campbell for 16 after a rash attempt to slog down the ground. Phillips then took another good catch in the deep. Patel claimed another soon after, first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge falling for a duck with Rachin Ravindra taking a catch at silly square leg.&nbsp;Hodge's preparation before the match was hampered by a series of poor throwdowns dished out by a coaching assistant, with head coach Daren Sammy stepping in.&nbsp;Duffy then dismissed Alick Athanaze for two and Justin Greaves for nought in successive overs, leaving the West Indies reeling. Duffy struck again two overs later, with Alick Athanaze edging to keeper Tom Blundell for 2, before removing Justin Greaves for nought with an edge to Daryl Mitchell at slip. Duffy had Roston Chase caught off the gloves by Tom Latham at slip for five, capping a miserable series for the West Indies captain.&nbsp;Chase scored just 42 runs at an average of seven in three matches, the second-worst figures for a skipper dismissed six or more times in a Test series.&nbsp;Patel claimed Shai Hope's wicket for three from 78 balls after a controversial LBW review. Having not played a shot, the ball was deemed to be hitting Hope's foot on the full and going on to hit the stumps.&nbsp;Glenn Phillips then took his first wicket of the match, bowling a hobbled Kemar Roach for four, who is nursing a hamstring strain.&nbsp;Ravindra was introduced in the final session and snared Anderson Phillip's wicket with an LBW, before Duffy wrapped up the innings, bowling Jayden Seales.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Seamer Duffy finished with 5-42, backed up by Ajaz Patel, who claimed 3-23, while opener Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with 67.

New Zealand crushed West Indies by 323 runs after tea on Monday to win the third Test at Mount Maunganui and seal a 2-0 series victory, with Jacob Duffy's five-wicket haul proving crucial to the win. The hosts set a target of 462 and bowled out the tourists for 138, wrapping up the innings in just four overs after tea following a dramatic collapse either side of lunch. Duffy finished with 5-42, backed up by Ajaz Patel, who claimed 3-23, while opener Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with 67. New Zealand's Devon Conway scored 227 and 100 in two innings, while captain Tom Latham scored 137 and 101 -- the first opening pair in first-class cricket history to score twin centuries in the same match -- to help set up the Black Caps' win. The series began with a draw in Christchurch, before New Zealand won the second Test in Wellington. Also read | Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten half-century helps India Women take 1-0 lead against Sri Lanka On a cracked surface offering uneven movement and bounce, seamer Duffy and spinner Patel posed constant danger to both edges of the bat. West Indies collapsed from 87-0 to 112-8 either side of lunch. The visitors had started the day 43-0, with Brandon King on 37 and John Campbell on two. King dominated early, hitting a flurry of cuts and drives and scoring 53 of the team's first 59 runs. Initially, New Zealand captain Latham's fields lacked aggression on a pitch that looked increasingly difficult to bat on, but that changed after the drinks break. Duffy broke the opening stand at 87, King gloving a rising delivery to Glenn Phillips at gully for 67. Patel struck in the next over, removing Campbell for 16 after a rash attempt to slog down the ground. Phillips then took another good catch in the deep. Patel claimed another soon after, first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge falling for a duck with Rachin Ravindra taking a catch at silly square leg. Hodge's preparation before the match was hampered by a series of poor throwdowns dished out by a coaching assistant, with head coach Daren Sammy stepping in. Duffy then dismissed Alick Athanaze for two and Justin Greaves for nought in successive overs, leaving the West Indies reeling. Duffy struck again two overs later, with Alick Athanaze edging to keeper Tom Blundell for 2, before removing Justin Greaves for nought with an edge to Daryl Mitchell at slip. Duffy had Roston Chase caught off the gloves by Tom Latham at slip for five, capping a miserable series for the West Indies captain. Chase scored just 42 runs at an average of seven in three matches, the second-worst figures for a skipper dismissed six or more times in a Test series. Patel claimed Shai Hope's wicket for three from 78 balls after a controversial LBW review. Having not played a shot, the ball was deemed to be hitting Hope's foot on the full and going on to hit the stumps. Glenn Phillips then took his first wicket of the match, bowling a hobbled Kemar Roach for four, who is nursing a hamstring strain. Ravindra was introduced in the final session and snared Anderson Phillip's wicket with an LBW, before Duffy wrapped up the innings, bowling Jayden Seales. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Seamer Duffy finished with 5-42, backed up by Ajaz Patel, who claimed 3-23, while opener Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with 67.

Duffy’s five-for triggers West Indies collapse as New Zealand seal Test series 2-0

Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten half-century guided the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India Women to a dominating eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka Women in the first T20I of the five-match series at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Sunday.&nbsp;With this commanding win, the Women in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka.&nbsp;While chasing a 122-run target, Jemimah hammered an unbeaten 69 runs off 44 deliveries, with the help of 10 fours that helped India Women to chase down the target in just 14.4 overs. Jemimah also equalled Mithali Raj's four 50-plus scores against Sri Lanka in T20Is.&nbsp;Earlier, Smriti Mandhana, who scored 25 runs, became the second woman to reach the landmark of 4000 runs in T20Is after New Zealand's Suzie Bates (4716 runs). Mandhana is also the quickest to do so in terms of balls taken (3227) than Bates, who took 3675 balls to reach the 4000 runs milestone.&nbsp;During the chase, Mandhana and Jemimah stitched a crucial 54-run partnership for the second wicket that put India into a commanding position.&nbsp;Jemimah also stitched an unbeaten 55-run stand for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made an unbeaten 15 that helped Women in Blue win the first T20I by eight wickets.&nbsp;After opting to field first, India Women produced a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 121/6 in their 20 overs.&nbsp;Three Sri Lankan batters were run out. Kranti Gaud, Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani picked up a wicket each to keep the visitors on a tight leash throughout the innings.&nbsp;Sri Lanka opener Vishmi Gunaratne was the top scorer for the visitors, scoring 39 off 43 balls. She held one end but struggled to accelerate and was eventually dismissed in the 17.5th over.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The visitors suffered an early setback when captain Chamari Athapaththu became the first wicket to fall with the score on 18. She managed 15 before being cleaned up by Kranti Gaud. Sri Lanka reached 31/1 in the power play, which was under six runs per over.&nbsp;Hasini Perera was the second batter to be dismissed after making 20 off 23 balls, falling to Deepti Sharma in the 9.1 over. Sri Lanka brought up their 50 in 9.3 overs but continued to struggle to increase the run rate.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Harshitha Samarawickrama also found boundaries hard to come by, scoring 21 off 23 balls with two fours. The visitors reached the 100-run mark in the 17.4th over. Nilakshika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari were both run out.&nbsp;Among the bowlers, Deepti Sharma was the most economical, returning figures of 1/20 in her four overs, which included a maiden. Kranti Gaud finished with 1/23 from three overs, while Shree Charani conceded 30 runs and picked up one wicket in her four overs.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

While chasing a 122-run target, Jemimah hammered an unbeaten 69 runs off 44 deliveries, with the help of 10 fours that helped India Women to chase down the target in just 14.4 overs. Jemimah also equalled Mithali Raj's four 50-plus scores against Sri Lanka in T20Is.

Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten half-century guided the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India Women to a dominating eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka Women in the first T20I of the five-match series at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Sunday. With this commanding win, the Women in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka. While chasing a 122-run target, Jemimah hammered an unbeaten 69 runs off 44 deliveries, with the help of 10 fours that helped India Women to chase down the target in just 14.4 overs. Jemimah also equalled Mithali Raj's four 50-plus scores against Sri Lanka in T20Is. Earlier, Smriti Mandhana, who scored 25 runs, became the second woman to reach the landmark of 4000 runs in T20Is after New Zealand's Suzie Bates (4716 runs). Mandhana is also the quickest to do so in terms of balls taken (3227) than Bates, who took 3675 balls to reach the 4000 runs milestone. During the chase, Mandhana and Jemimah stitched a crucial 54-run partnership for the second wicket that put India into a commanding position. Jemimah also stitched an unbeaten 55-run stand for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made an unbeaten 15 that helped Women in Blue win the first T20I by eight wickets. After opting to field first, India Women produced a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 121/6 in their 20 overs. Three Sri Lankan batters were run out. Kranti Gaud, Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani picked up a wicket each to keep the visitors on a tight leash throughout the innings. Sri Lanka opener Vishmi Gunaratne was the top scorer for the visitors, scoring 39 off 43 balls. She held one end but struggled to accelerate and was eventually dismissed in the 17.5th over. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes The visitors suffered an early setback when captain Chamari Athapaththu became the first wicket to fall with the score on 18. She managed 15 before being cleaned up by Kranti Gaud. Sri Lanka reached 31/1 in the power play, which was under six runs per over. Hasini Perera was the second batter to be dismissed after making 20 off 23 balls, falling to Deepti Sharma in the 9.1 over. Sri Lanka brought up their 50 in 9.3 overs but continued to struggle to increase the run rate. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Harshitha Samarawickrama also found boundaries hard to come by, scoring 21 off 23 balls with two fours. The visitors reached the 100-run mark in the 17.4th over. Nilakshika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari were both run out. Among the bowlers, Deepti Sharma was the most economical, returning figures of 1/20 in her four overs, which included a maiden. Kranti Gaud finished with 1/23 from three overs, while Shree Charani conceded 30 runs and picked up one wicket in her four overs. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

While chasing a 122-run target, Jemimah hammered an unbeaten 69 runs off 44 deliveries, with the help of 10 fours that helped India Women to chase down the target in just 14.4 overs. Jemimah also equalled Mithali Raj's four 50-plus scores against Sri Lanka in T20Is.

Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten half-century helps India Women take 1-0 lead against Sri Lanka

Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Affairs Minister Mohsin Naqvi exposed his double standards on Sunday (Dec 21) during the U19 Asia Cup final. Yet to handover India its Asia Cup senior trophy for their win in September, Naqvi raised eyebrows by handing over Pakistan its Asia Cup U19 trophy on Sunday. The double-standard behaviour by Naqvi comes less than three months after India had beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai.<h2>Naqvi showcases double standards</h2>Just months after denying India’s rightful trophy for the Asia Cup 2025 triumph, Naqvi was on his way to Dubai in the early hours of Sunday. After India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs, he congratulated Pakistan for its win and later handed out medals. This has seen angry reactions from the Indian crowd, who have been waiting to see their trophy, yet to be handed out.&nbsp;Naqvi was even seen posing with some players, while India yet again boycotted the presentation ceremony.<h2>What happened in the final?</h2>It was a day to forget for India in the U19 Asia Cup final on Sunday (Dec 21) as they were beaten by Pakistan in a one-sided affair. Playing at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie. Sameer Minhas’s 172-run knock from 113 deliveries and Ali Raza’s 42/4 were the highlight reel for Pakistan in the summit clash.&nbsp;India were bowled out for 156 runs with Deepesh Devendran top scoring for the Boys in Blue. &nbsp;Star player Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 26 before getting out, while Khilan Patel (19), Aaron George (16) and Abhigyan Kundu (13) were other batters to get into double figures.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Earlier, having won the toss, India captain Ayush Mhatre opted to bowl first, a decision that had a butterfly effect for the Indian team. Pakistan batters ran riot from the start, with Sameer Minhas slamming 172 runs from 113 deliveries. His innings included 17 fours and nine sixes and had a strike rate of more than 150.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor scored 18 while key contributions also included Usman Khan (35), Ahmed Hussain (56) and captain Farhan Yousaf (19). As a result, Pakistan scored 347/8 in their 50 overs with Deepesh Devendran being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 83/3 while Henil Patel and Khilan Patel ended with two wickets each.&nbsp;

Playing at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie. 

Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Affairs Minister Mohsin Naqvi exposed his double standards on Sunday (Dec 21) during the U19 Asia Cup final. Yet to handover India its Asia Cup senior trophy for their win in September, Naqvi raised eyebrows by handing over Pakistan its Asia Cup U19 trophy on Sunday. The double-standard behaviour by Naqvi comes less than three months after India had beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai. Naqvi showcases double standards Just months after denying India’s rightful trophy for the Asia Cup 2025 triumph, Naqvi was on his way to Dubai in the early hours of Sunday. After India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs, he congratulated Pakistan for its win and later handed out medals. This has seen angry reactions from the Indian crowd, who have been waiting to see their trophy, yet to be handed out. Naqvi was even seen posing with some players, while India yet again boycotted the presentation ceremony. What happened in the final? It was a day to forget for India in the U19 Asia Cup final on Sunday (Dec 21) as they were beaten by Pakistan in a one-sided affair. Playing at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie. Sameer Minhas’s 172-run knock from 113 deliveries and Ali Raza’s 42/4 were the highlight reel for Pakistan in the summit clash. India were bowled out for 156 runs with Deepesh Devendran top scoring for the Boys in Blue. Star player Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 26 before getting out, while Khilan Patel (19), Aaron George (16) and Abhigyan Kundu (13) were other batters to get into double figures. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Earlier, having won the toss, India captain Ayush Mhatre opted to bowl first, a decision that had a butterfly effect for the Indian team. Pakistan batters ran riot from the start, with Sameer Minhas slamming 172 runs from 113 deliveries. His innings included 17 fours and nine sixes and had a strike rate of more than 150. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor scored 18 while key contributions also included Usman Khan (35), Ahmed Hussain (56) and captain Farhan Yousaf (19). As a result, Pakistan scored 347/8 in their 50 overs with Deepesh Devendran being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 83/3 while Henil Patel and Khilan Patel ended with two wickets each.

Playing at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie.&nbsp;

Mohsin Naqvi showcases double standards, India's wait for Asia Cup trophy continues, hands over U19 trophy to Pakistan

It was a day to forget for India in the U19 Asia Cup final on Sunday (Dec 21) as they were beaten by Pakistan in a one-sided affair. Playing at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie. Sameer Minhas’s 172-run knock from 113 deliveries and Ali Raza’s 42/4 were the highlight reel for Pakistan in the summit clash.<h2>Pakistan beat India in U19 Asia Cup final</h2>In what was a one-sided affair in the Asia Cup U19 final, India were the second favourites from the start as Pakistan dominated with both bat and ball. Having won the toss, India captain Ayush Mhatre opted to bowl first, a decision that had a butterfly effect for the Indian team. Pakistan batters ran riot from the start, with Sameer Minhas slamming 172 runs from 113 deliveries. His innings included 17 fours and nine sixes and had a strike rate of more than 150.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor scored 18 while key contributions also included Usman Khan (35), Ahmed Hussain (56) and captain Farhan Yousaf (19). As a result, Pakistan scored 347/8 in their 50 overs with Deepesh Devendran being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 83/3 while Henil Patel and Khilan Patel ended with two wickets each.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;In response, India were bowled out for 156 runs with Deepesh Devendran top scoring for the Boys in Blue. &nbsp;Star player Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 26 before getting out while Khilan Patel (19), Aaron George (16) and Abhigyan Kundu (13) were other batters to get into double figures. Ali Raza was the star bowler for Pakistan with four wickets and helped his side clinch their second title in the U19 division.

India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie. 

It was a day to forget for India in the U19 Asia Cup final on Sunday (Dec 21) as they were beaten by Pakistan in a one-sided affair. Playing at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie. Sameer Minhas’s 172-run knock from 113 deliveries and Ali Raza’s 42/4 were the highlight reel for Pakistan in the summit clash. Pakistan beat India in U19 Asia Cup final In what was a one-sided affair in the Asia Cup U19 final, India were the second favourites from the start as Pakistan dominated with both bat and ball. Having won the toss, India captain Ayush Mhatre opted to bowl first, a decision that had a butterfly effect for the Indian team. Pakistan batters ran riot from the start, with Sameer Minhas slamming 172 runs from 113 deliveries. His innings included 17 fours and nine sixes and had a strike rate of more than 150. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor scored 18 while key contributions also included Usman Khan (35), Ahmed Hussain (56) and captain Farhan Yousaf (19). As a result, Pakistan scored 347/8 in their 50 overs with Deepesh Devendran being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 83/3 while Henil Patel and Khilan Patel ended with two wickets each. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes In response, India were bowled out for 156 runs with Deepesh Devendran top scoring for the Boys in Blue. Star player Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 26 before getting out while Khilan Patel (19), Aaron George (16) and Abhigyan Kundu (13) were other batters to get into double figures. Ali Raza was the star bowler for Pakistan with four wickets and helped his side clinch their second title in the U19 division.

India lost to Pakistan by a massive 191 runs as the Men in Green won their second title. This was also Pakistan’s first outright Asia Cup U19 title, having shared the 2013 title with India after a tie.&nbsp;

Pakistan rout India to win second U19 Asia Cup; Minhas, Raza shine in final

The Indian team for the 2026 T20 World Cup was announced on Saturday (Dec 20) as the selectors’ panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, made a couple of bold decisions. The 15-man squad that will play in the 2026 T20 World Cup will not feature the likes of Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma, while Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan have been granted wildcard entries. While a statement was made off the pitch, will there be an on-field statement as well with captain Suryakumar Yadav struggling for form?<h2>Surya’s concerning form</h2>Across the last nine innings for India and Mumbai (in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), Suryakumar Yadav’s form has become a huge cause for concern for the management. During that period, he has scored 199 runs with an average of 24.88, raising concerns for the management. In his last 22 innings for India in T20Is, Surya’s form makes poor reading as well.&nbsp;During this period, Surya's average of 13.37 across 22 innings, with a total of 254 runs and no fifties, underscores prolonged struggles. His only notable performance was an unbeaten 47 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 group stage in Dubai.&nbsp;The current India T20I captain’s last fifty for the national side came in Hyderabad against Bangladesh in October 2024. In fact, since becoming the captain of the Indian T20I side, he has managed to score only two fifties.<h2>Why is Surya’s position in trouble?</h2>Highly unlikely that a sitting captain will be dropped from the Playing XI for non-injury-related and rest issues; nothing is guaranteed in the Indian side. Rohit Sharma, India’s then Test captain during the 2024-25 Australia tour, was dropped from the Sydney Test in January. On Saturday, Shubman Gill, India’s current captain in Tests and ODIs and vice-captain in the T20Is, was dropped from the World Cup squad.&nbsp;If the same pattern continues, another statement could be on the way from the Indian team management. Surya, however, will have to buckle up and improve his form with just one more series remaining before the 2026 T20 World Cup begins on Indian soil on February 7.&nbsp;The likes of Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh and Sanju Samson are awaiting their opportunities in the Playing XI with the World Cup on the horizon. While these players are unlikely to bat at No.4, given the circumstances, it won’t be a surprise.&nbsp;Also, Surya’s future in the team will be an issue as well, considering he is keeping his position ahead of Shreyas Iyer and other key domestic performers.&nbsp;While the captain remains in place for now, it would not be a shock if Axar Patel leads the team during the World Cup, with an in-form batter replacing Surya in the XI.

Across the last nine innings for India and Mumbai (in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), Suryakumar Yadav’s form has become a huge cause for concern for the management. During that period, he has scored 199 runs with an average of 24.88, raising concerns for the management.

The Indian team for the 2026 T20 World Cup was announced on Saturday (Dec 20) as the selectors’ panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, made a couple of bold decisions. The 15-man squad that will play in the 2026 T20 World Cup will not feature the likes of Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma, while Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan have been granted wildcard entries. While a statement was made off the pitch, will there be an on-field statement as well with captain Suryakumar Yadav struggling for form? Surya’s concerning form Across the last nine innings for India and Mumbai (in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), Suryakumar Yadav’s form has become a huge cause for concern for the management. During that period, he has scored 199 runs with an average of 24.88, raising concerns for the management. In his last 22 innings for India in T20Is, Surya’s form makes poor reading as well. During this period, Surya's average of 13.37 across 22 innings, with a total of 254 runs and no fifties, underscores prolonged struggles. His only notable performance was an unbeaten 47 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 group stage in Dubai. The current India T20I captain’s last fifty for the national side came in Hyderabad against Bangladesh in October 2024. In fact, since becoming the captain of the Indian T20I side, he has managed to score only two fifties. Why is Surya’s position in trouble? Highly unlikely that a sitting captain will be dropped from the Playing XI for non-injury-related and rest issues; nothing is guaranteed in the Indian side. Rohit Sharma, India’s then Test captain during the 2024-25 Australia tour, was dropped from the Sydney Test in January. On Saturday, Shubman Gill, India’s current captain in Tests and ODIs and vice-captain in the T20Is, was dropped from the World Cup squad. If the same pattern continues, another statement could be on the way from the Indian team management. Surya, however, will have to buckle up and improve his form with just one more series remaining before the 2026 T20 World Cup begins on Indian soil on February 7. The likes of Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh and Sanju Samson are awaiting their opportunities in the Playing XI with the World Cup on the horizon. While these players are unlikely to bat at No.4, given the circumstances, it won’t be a surprise. Also, Surya’s future in the team will be an issue as well, considering he is keeping his position ahead of Shreyas Iyer and other key domestic performers. While the captain remains in place for now, it would not be a shock if Axar Patel leads the team during the World Cup, with an in-form batter replacing Surya in the XI.

Across the last nine innings for India and Mumbai (in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), Suryakumar Yadav’s form has become a huge cause for concern for the management. During that period, he has scored 199 runs with an average of 24.88, raising concerns for the management.

Selectors make statement by dropping Gill, but should India drop SKY from Playing XI amid poor form?

Ishan Kishan’s return to India’s T20 World Cup squad was happy news not only for him but also for those who seek a way into the Indian Team through significant domestic performances, and this is where former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded the BCCI selectors for. The attacking left-handed batter was picked in India’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup next year, with everyone applauding the selectors’ ‘pick on merit’ theory. Kishan-led Jharkhand lifted its maiden SMAT title, with the Indian international smoking a brilliant hundred (101 off 49 balls).&nbsp;Ashwin shared his thoughts on Kishan’s selection, considering how, after facing a BCCI snub over disciplinary issues, Ishan made a stunning comeback into the T20I side for the title defence at home and Sri Lanka in a hybrid model. &nbsp;“This is a gift that cricket has given to Ishan Kishan. Many people from outside can guess what it is, and some may say it’s unfair. But life comes back in circles. The reason Ishan was not in the team earlier, and how he has come back now, has only one reason. He has given cricket the respect it deserves,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. &nbsp;Kishan was the man in form for Jharkhand in the just concluded SMAT, hitting 517 runs in ten innings, averaging 57.44 and striking at close to 200 (197.32).&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-dream-is-now-over-england-captain-ben-stokes-reacts-to-crushing-ashes-defeat-1766295553751">‘The dream is now over,’ England captain Ben Stokes reacts to crushing Ashes defeat</a> &nbsp;Speaking of Kishan’s run to the SMAT Final, Ashwin handpicked tournaments where he excelled, while further explaining how, not just as a cricketer, but also as a person, Ishan evolved after the BCCI snub episode and is now ready to take on the world.&nbsp; &nbsp;“He played in the Buchi Babu Trophy. A player like Ishan Kishan came and represented Jharkhand in the tournament held in Chennai. He was the number one performer in Ranji Trophy preparations for Jharkhand and once again scored runs in first-class cricket. In SMAT, he led the team to victory, and he also performed exceptionally well. That’s why this is not about Ishan Kishan the person; it’s about Ishan Kishan the cricketer, who went through the yards of the game, respected the game, and hence succeeded,” he added. &nbsp;“The selectors are sending a loud and clear message: whatever player you are, whether big or small, whether you are a newcomer, perform in first-class cricket, and we have our eyes on you. Of course, Ishan Kishan has a pedigree. The way he scored a double century in ODI cricket is a testament to his quality. But this is great news for Indian cricket,” Ashwin continued.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Ishan is picked as a backup opener and keeper, with T20I regular, Sanju Samson, likely to open with Abhishek Sharma in the first place.

Kishan was the man in form for Jharkhand in the just concluded SMAT, hitting 517 runs in ten innings, averaging 57.44 and striking at close to 200 (197.32).

Ishan Kishan’s return to India’s T20 World Cup squad was happy news not only for him but also for those who seek a way into the Indian Team through significant domestic performances, and this is where former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded the BCCI selectors for. The attacking left-handed batter was picked in India’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup next year, with everyone applauding the selectors’ ‘pick on merit’ theory. Kishan-led Jharkhand lifted its maiden SMAT title, with the Indian international smoking a brilliant hundred (101 off 49 balls). Ashwin shared his thoughts on Kishan’s selection, considering how, after facing a BCCI snub over disciplinary issues, Ishan made a stunning comeback into the T20I side for the title defence at home and Sri Lanka in a hybrid model. “This is a gift that cricket has given to Ishan Kishan. Many people from outside can guess what it is, and some may say it’s unfair. But life comes back in circles. The reason Ishan was not in the team earlier, and how he has come back now, has only one reason. He has given cricket the respect it deserves,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. Kishan was the man in form for Jharkhand in the just concluded SMAT, hitting 517 runs in ten innings, averaging 57.44 and striking at close to 200 (197.32). Also read | ‘The dream is now over,’ England captain Ben Stokes reacts to crushing Ashes defeat Speaking of Kishan’s run to the SMAT Final, Ashwin handpicked tournaments where he excelled, while further explaining how, not just as a cricketer, but also as a person, Ishan evolved after the BCCI snub episode and is now ready to take on the world. “He played in the Buchi Babu Trophy. A player like Ishan Kishan came and represented Jharkhand in the tournament held in Chennai. He was the number one performer in Ranji Trophy preparations for Jharkhand and once again scored runs in first-class cricket. In SMAT, he led the team to victory, and he also performed exceptionally well. That’s why this is not about Ishan Kishan the person; it’s about Ishan Kishan the cricketer, who went through the yards of the game, respected the game, and hence succeeded,” he added. “The selectors are sending a loud and clear message: whatever player you are, whether big or small, whether you are a newcomer, perform in first-class cricket, and we have our eyes on you. Of course, Ishan Kishan has a pedigree. The way he scored a double century in ODI cricket is a testament to his quality. But this is great news for Indian cricket,” Ashwin continued. Meanwhile, Ishan is picked as a backup opener and keeper, with T20I regular, Sanju Samson, likely to open with Abhishek Sharma in the first place.

Kishan was the man in form for Jharkhand in the just concluded SMAT, hitting 517 runs in ten innings, averaging 57.44 and striking at close to 200 (197.32).

‘Ishan Kishan’s return is great news for Indian cricket,’ says Ravi Ashwin

Elated Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said retaining the Ashes after just three Tests was "hugely satisfying" and vowed no let up in Melbourne while casting doubt on whether he and Nathan Lyon would play. Australia have been dominant all series with their 82-run win in Adelaide coming on the back of eight-wicket thumpings at Perth and Brisbane, securing the famous urn with two Tests still to play.&nbsp;"There was so much hype coming into the series, and you never really know how it will play out," said Cummins. "So winning in three Tests is hugely satisfying for many reasons.&nbsp;"A lot of the chat before the series was about how evenly poised it was going to be, and to win in straight Tests, it doesn't get much better than that."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-cycle-2025-27-australia-maintain-100-per-cent-record-check-where-team-india-sits-on-points-table-1766298664533">WTC Cycle 2025-27: Australia maintain 100% record; check where Team India sits on points table</a>&nbsp;There are only five days until the fourth Test starts in Melbourne on December 26 with Cummins adamant Australia will not be taking their foot off the gas there or in the final Test in Sydney, beginning January 4.&nbsp;"The goal was to win the Ashes. But you're not going into a Test match not wanting to win, so we'll go to Melbourne and absolutely be desperate to win that one and Sydney," he said. "And if we get 5-0, it's amazing but I can't say that's been spoken about at all. It's always just been about how we're going to navigate our way through to three wins."&nbsp;Australia face going into the fourth Test without pace spearhead Cummins and veteran spinner Lyon.&nbsp;Cummins played his first Test since July in Adelaide after a long layoff with lower back issues and, while he came through unscathed, he said he may skip Melbourne to be on the safe side.<h3>'Job's done'</h3>&nbsp;"We'll wait and see. Now that the series has been won, there might be a sense of job's done, and let's kind of reassess a risk," he said. "So we'll work on it over the next couple days. I doubt I'll be playing Melbourne, and then we'll have a chat about Sydney.&nbsp;"But certainly while the series was live, let's take on the risk and have a crack at it."&nbsp;There is huge uncertainty around Lyon who pulled a hamstring on Sunday while fielding on the boundary. He went for scans and was later seen on crutches at the ground.&nbsp;"It doesn't look great. Don't know yet, but seeing someone on crutches doesn't really bode well for someone with a Test match a week away," said Cummins. "It's going to be hard to replace him but we have some guys who have already had a taste of international cricket around the traps."&nbsp;They include Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann.&nbsp;Batsman Steve Smith, who stood in for Cummins as skipper in the first two Tests, missed Adelaide after pulling out just before the toss with vertigo symptoms. But he was seen back in the nets and is expected to be ready for Melbourne, meaning Josh Inglis may drop out with Usman Khawaja moving to number five if Travis Head retains the opening role.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Australia could be without their two prime bowlers for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. 

Elated Australia skipper Pat Cummins on Sunday said retaining the Ashes after just three Tests was "hugely satisfying" and vowed no let up in Melbourne while casting doubt on whether he and Nathan Lyon would play. Australia have been dominant all series with their 82-run win in Adelaide coming on the back of eight-wicket thumpings at Perth and Brisbane, securing the famous urn with two Tests still to play. "There was so much hype coming into the series, and you never really know how it will play out," said Cummins. "So winning in three Tests is hugely satisfying for many reasons. "A lot of the chat before the series was about how evenly poised it was going to be, and to win in straight Tests, it doesn't get much better than that." Also read | WTC Cycle 2025-27: Australia maintain 100% record; check where Team India sits on points table There are only five days until the fourth Test starts in Melbourne on December 26 with Cummins adamant Australia will not be taking their foot off the gas there or in the final Test in Sydney, beginning January 4. "The goal was to win the Ashes. But you're not going into a Test match not wanting to win, so we'll go to Melbourne and absolutely be desperate to win that one and Sydney," he said. "And if we get 5-0, it's amazing but I can't say that's been spoken about at all. It's always just been about how we're going to navigate our way through to three wins." Australia face going into the fourth Test without pace spearhead Cummins and veteran spinner Lyon. Cummins played his first Test since July in Adelaide after a long layoff with lower back issues and, while he came through unscathed, he said he may skip Melbourne to be on the safe side. 'Job's done' "We'll wait and see. Now that the series has been won, there might be a sense of job's done, and let's kind of reassess a risk," he said. "So we'll work on it over the next couple days. I doubt I'll be playing Melbourne, and then we'll have a chat about Sydney. "But certainly while the series was live, let's take on the risk and have a crack at it." There is huge uncertainty around Lyon who pulled a hamstring on Sunday while fielding on the boundary. He went for scans and was later seen on crutches at the ground. "It doesn't look great. Don't know yet, but seeing someone on crutches doesn't really bode well for someone with a Test match a week away," said Cummins. "It's going to be hard to replace him but we have some guys who have already had a taste of international cricket around the traps." They include Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann. Batsman Steve Smith, who stood in for Cummins as skipper in the first two Tests, missed Adelaide after pulling out just before the toss with vertigo symptoms. But he was seen back in the nets and is expected to be ready for Melbourne, meaning Josh Inglis may drop out with Usman Khawaja moving to number five if Travis Head retains the opening role. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Australia could be without their two prime bowlers for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.&nbsp;

Ashes: Australian captain Cummins, Nathan Lyon doubtful for Boxing Day Test

The Ashes is already over, with Australians winning it convincingly inside 11 days. Following the conclusion of the Adelaide Test, which Australia won by 82 runs and retained the urn, they maintained their 100% winning record thus far on the current World Test Championship (WTC) points table, winning six out of six matches. While the defending champions, South Africa, sit in the second place with three wins in four contested Tests, the three-time finalists, India, are reeling in the bottom half of the points table, with Pakistan ahead of them on better PCT.&nbsp;Since losing the WTC Final earlier in June, Australia whitewashed West Indies in the away series before taking down England in the three contested Ashes Tests thus far. Despite not having their veteran batter Steve Smith and Test great Josh Hazlewood in the concluded Test in Adelaide, the hosts romped the Poms to win back the Ashes.&nbsp; &nbsp;A crushing defeat at the hands of their oldest rivals pushed England further down on the WTC table, one spot below India in seventh position, with only Bangladesh and West Indies below them.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-dream-is-now-over-england-captain-ben-stokes-reacts-to-crushing-ashes-defeat-1766295553751">‘The dream is now over,’ England captain Ben Stokes reacts to crushing Ashes defeat</a> &nbsp;Team India, on the other hand, sits in the sixth spot, with four wins and as many losses in nine contested matches. While they managed to draw the away five-match series in England earlier (2-2), suffering a whitewash at home to South Africa (0-2) hurt their chances of climbing up the table and sealing the top two positions.&nbsp; &nbsp;Under the leadership of the newly-appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, the Indian Test team has won just four matches thus far, including two against West Indies at home. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Pakistan, with just one win and a loss, is ahead of India on the WTC standings, with a better PCT of 50 compared to India’s 48.15. While Australia remains unbeaten thus far, South Africa’s PCT is 75, followed by Sri Lanka (66.67) and New Zealand (66.67).<h3>Here are the latest WTC standings after the just-concluded Ashes Test in Adelaide -</h3>

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>POSITION</td><td>TEAM</td><td>PCT</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Australia</td><td>100</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>South Africa</td><td>75</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Sri Lanka</td><td>66.67</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>New Zealand</td><td>66.67</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Pakistan</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>India</td><td>48.15</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>England</td><td>27.08</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Bangladesh&nbsp;</td><td>16.67</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>West Indies</td><td>4.76</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

Since losing the WTC Final to South Africa in June, Australia hasn't lost a single Test in six outings thus far. 

The Ashes is already over, with Australians winning it convincingly inside 11 days. Following the conclusion of the Adelaide Test, which Australia won by 82 runs and retained the urn, they maintained their 100% winning record thus far on the current World Test Championship (WTC) points table, winning six out of six matches. While the defending champions, South Africa, sit in the second place with three wins in four contested Tests, the three-time finalists, India, are reeling in the bottom half of the points table, with Pakistan ahead of them on better PCT. Since losing the WTC Final earlier in June, Australia whitewashed West Indies in the away series before taking down England in the three contested Ashes Tests thus far. Despite not having their veteran batter Steve Smith and Test great Josh Hazlewood in the concluded Test in Adelaide, the hosts romped the Poms to win back the Ashes. A crushing defeat at the hands of their oldest rivals pushed England further down on the WTC table, one spot below India in seventh position, with only Bangladesh and West Indies below them. Also read | ‘The dream is now over,’ England captain Ben Stokes reacts to crushing Ashes defeat Team India, on the other hand, sits in the sixth spot, with four wins and as many losses in nine contested matches. While they managed to draw the away five-match series in England earlier (2-2), suffering a whitewash at home to South Africa (0-2) hurt their chances of climbing up the table and sealing the top two positions. Under the leadership of the newly-appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, the Indian Test team has won just four matches thus far, including two against West Indies at home. Meanwhile, Pakistan, with just one win and a loss, is ahead of India on the WTC standings, with a better PCT of 50 compared to India’s 48.15. While Australia remains unbeaten thus far, South Africa’s PCT is 75, followed by Sri Lanka (66.67) and New Zealand (66.67). Here are the latest WTC standings after the just-concluded Ashes Test in Adelaide -

Since losing the WTC Final to South Africa in June, Australia hasn't lost a single Test in six outings thus far.&nbsp;

WTC Cycle 2025-27: Australia maintain 100% record; check where Team India sits on points table

England Test captain Ben Stokes said the dream of winning an Ashes Down Under is over after his team lost the third Test at the Adelaide Oval by 82 runs on Sunday morning. Needing over 200 runs with just four wickets remaining, England’s lower-order and tail did grind through the first session but failed to hold onto their wickets as the Aussies wrapped them up on 352 to win the Test and retain the Ashes. Stokes, who got out to a beauty off Nathan Lyon late on day four, admitted feeling disappointed with the result, adding that everyone is hurt and that it sucks to concede the Ashes inside 11 days.&nbsp;"That dream is now over, which is incredibly disappointing. Everyone is hurting and quite emotional about it. It hurt, it sucks, but we aint going to stop,” Stokes’ first reaction after England lost the third Test on day five at the Adelaide Oval.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-run-over-england-in-adelaide-test-to-retain-ashes-nathan-lyon-hamstring-1766289012188">Australia crush England, Bazball inside 11 days to retain Ashes</a> &nbsp;Although England showed the stomach for a fight late in their innings, Stokes feels that they were not as consistent in executing their plans the way the Australians were, pointing out the difference between the two teams.&nbsp; &nbsp;“Australia have just been able to execute things more consistently than us...we've shown it in passages. Thought we were on for another heist when Jamie and Will were going.&nbsp; &nbsp;Captain Stokes also lamented the opportunity to score big after restricting Australia to a modest first-inning total, further putting it down to his batters’ failed attempt at chasing the target the dressing room believed they could.&nbsp; &nbsp;“Losing the toss, bowling, keep Australia to under-par score, and not being able to respond with the bat when we had an opportunity to put a big score on the board...we were confident we had a good chance of chasing it down, it was a very good wicket. Losing those three wickets at the backend of yesterday set us back. That stuff I wanted to see, I've seen that this week. Think we can take a lot from this game. We've got so much more to play for,” he continued. &nbsp;The visitors, however, have plenty to play for in the remaining two matches, with avoiding a series whitewash at the top on their priority list.&nbsp;

While Australia won the Perth Test inside two days, they reigned supreme in the Pink-Ball Test at the Gabba in Brisbane before knocking England off in Adelaide to retain the Ashes.

England Test captain Ben Stokes said the dream of winning an Ashes Down Under is over after his team lost the third Test at the Adelaide Oval by 82 runs on Sunday morning. Needing over 200 runs with just four wickets remaining, England’s lower-order and tail did grind through the first session but failed to hold onto their wickets as the Aussies wrapped them up on 352 to win the Test and retain the Ashes. Stokes, who got out to a beauty off Nathan Lyon late on day four, admitted feeling disappointed with the result, adding that everyone is hurt and that it sucks to concede the Ashes inside 11 days. "That dream is now over, which is incredibly disappointing. Everyone is hurting and quite emotional about it. It hurt, it sucks, but we aint going to stop,” Stokes’ first reaction after England lost the third Test on day five at the Adelaide Oval. Also read | Australia crush England, Bazball inside 11 days to retain Ashes Although England showed the stomach for a fight late in their innings, Stokes feels that they were not as consistent in executing their plans the way the Australians were, pointing out the difference between the two teams. “Australia have just been able to execute things more consistently than us...we've shown it in passages. Thought we were on for another heist when Jamie and Will were going. Captain Stokes also lamented the opportunity to score big after restricting Australia to a modest first-inning total, further putting it down to his batters’ failed attempt at chasing the target the dressing room believed they could. “Losing the toss, bowling, keep Australia to under-par score, and not being able to respond with the bat when we had an opportunity to put a big score on the board...we were confident we had a good chance of chasing it down, it was a very good wicket. Losing those three wickets at the backend of yesterday set us back. That stuff I wanted to see, I've seen that this week. Think we can take a lot from this game. We've got so much more to play for,” he continued. The visitors, however, have plenty to play for in the remaining two matches, with avoiding a series whitewash at the top on their priority list.

While Australia won the Perth Test inside two days, they reigned supreme in the Pink-Ball Test at the Gabba in Brisbane before knocking England off in Adelaide to retain the Ashes.

‘The dream is now over,’ England captain Ben Stokes reacts to crushing Ashes defeat

The Ashes 2025 is over inside three Tests as Australia run over England in Adelaide to retain the urn. Needing four wickets to win the third Test at the Adelaide Oval, the Aussie bowlers did grind a bit in the first session but came back stronger in the second to clinch an 82-run win and seal the Ashes. Although Jamie Smith and Will Jacks showed grit during the first hour, a dismal shot (by Smith) off Mitchell Starc broke the stand, who later picked two more, including that of Jacks, to wrap England on 352 in their second innings.&nbsp;Australia took 11 days to win the home Ashes, crush the Bazball and retain the urn, something every Aussie player had been working on for the past two years. Starc, who did wonders with both bat and ball in the three contested matches thus far, admitted to feeling ‘bloody good’ about the win. &nbsp;“Feels bloody good. I’ve managed to work for it. It was a bit of a flat wicket, and they (England) played pretty well, but I think those are the ones you cherish a bit more when you have to work a bit harder, aren’t they? So yeah, another rousing win. It’s been a great atmosphere all week, all series so far,” Starc said after picking three of the four remaining wickets on the final day in Adelaide. &nbsp;However, all wasn’t nice and pleasing for the hosts as they lost Nathan Lyon to a suspected hamstring injury inside the first session. Lyon, who picked up three wickets in the final innings, including that of Harry Brook, captain Ben Stokes and opener Zak Crawley, all crucial ones, hobbled off the field after attempting to stop a boundary at fine leg. Although he remained on the sidelines, the quicks compensated for the loss, with Starc doing the most damage. &nbsp;The left-armer first picked up Smith, who played a horrendous shot before removing Jacks, caught excellently by Marnus Labuschagne in the second slip, to end England’s hopes.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">THERE IS NO WAY HE HAS DONE IT AGAIN! MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE TAKE A BOW!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayoftheDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayoftheDay</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nrmainsurance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nrmainsurance</a> <a href="https://t.co/EkxdtkFsrg">pic.twitter.com/EkxdtkFsrg</a>&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/2002579464199233798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Test veteran then got the better of seamer Jofra Archer, who smashed a fifty in the first innings, to put England’s back against the wall before Scott Boland wrapped up the proceedings by dismissing Josh Tongue caught in the slip cordon.&nbsp;Watch the moment Australia retained the Ashes -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">THE moment! Australia retains the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> after a brilliant ending. <a href="https://t.co/ZfOi2uOAPh">pic.twitter.com/ZfOi2uOAPh</a>&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/2002587451403993269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, the visitors failed to get going across three Tests despite handy performances from just a handful of players. Stokes was one of England’s better batters alongside Joe Root, with Archer and Brydon Carse impressing with the ball, although nothing was enough to keep themselves alive in this series. &nbsp;The fourth Test of this series begins at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Boxing Day (Dec 26), with Australia leading 3-0.

While the seamers enjoyed bowling on the final day, Australia suffered a blow with Nathan Lyon hobbling off the ground with a suspected hamstring injury inside the first session on day five. 

The Ashes 2025 is over inside three Tests as Australia run over England in Adelaide to retain the urn. Needing four wickets to win the third Test at the Adelaide Oval, the Aussie bowlers did grind a bit in the first session but came back stronger in the second to clinch an 82-run win and seal the Ashes. Although Jamie Smith and Will Jacks showed grit during the first hour, a dismal shot (by Smith) off Mitchell Starc broke the stand, who later picked two more, including that of Jacks, to wrap England on 352 in their second innings. Australia took 11 days to win the home Ashes, crush the Bazball and retain the urn, something every Aussie player had been working on for the past two years. Starc, who did wonders with both bat and ball in the three contested matches thus far, admitted to feeling ‘bloody good’ about the win. “Feels bloody good. I’ve managed to work for it. It was a bit of a flat wicket, and they (England) played pretty well, but I think those are the ones you cherish a bit more when you have to work a bit harder, aren’t they? So yeah, another rousing win. It’s been a great atmosphere all week, all series so far,” Starc said after picking three of the four remaining wickets on the final day in Adelaide. However, all wasn’t nice and pleasing for the hosts as they lost Nathan Lyon to a suspected hamstring injury inside the first session. Lyon, who picked up three wickets in the final innings, including that of Harry Brook, captain Ben Stokes and opener Zak Crawley, all crucial ones, hobbled off the field after attempting to stop a boundary at fine leg. Although he remained on the sidelines, the quicks compensated for the loss, with Starc doing the most damage. The left-armer first picked up Smith, who played a horrendous shot before removing Jacks, caught excellently by Marnus Labuschagne in the second slip, to end England’s hopes.

While the seamers enjoyed bowling on the final day, Australia suffered a blow with Nathan Lyon hobbling off the ground with a suspected hamstring injury inside the first session on day five.&nbsp;

Australia crush England, Bazball inside 11 days to retain Ashes

Devon Conway became just the 10th player in Test history to hit a double century and a century in the same match on Sunday when he reached three figures before tea in New Zealand's second innings against the West Indies at Mount Maunganui. Conway was on 100 at the break and opening partner Tom Latham on 80 as New Zealand raced to 192-0 and a lead of 347 on the fourth day, backing up his 227 in the first innings. He and captain Latham, who put on a mammoth 323 opening partnership in the first innings with Latham contributing 137, have combined for 515 runs in the match.&nbsp;Conway joins an illustrious list in scoring a double century and a century in the same Test match.&nbsp;Only Doug Walters, Greg Chappell, Marnus Labuschagne, Sunil Gavaskar, Shubman Gill, Lawrence Rowe, Brian Lara, Graham Gooch and Kumar Sangakkara had achieved the feat.&nbsp;Conway's 327 runs so far are the third highest for New Zealand in a single Test, behind Stephen Fleming's 343 (274 and 69) against Sri Lanka in 2003, and Martin Crowe's 329 (30 and 299) against Sri Lanka in 1991.&nbsp;Conway and Latham added 157 runs in the middle session at more than five an over as they looked for quick runs to set up a declaration before the close.&nbsp;New Zealand took four wickets in the morning session as West Indies were 420 all out, with Kavem Hodge left stranded unbeaten on a fine 123 from 275 balls, including 15 boundaries.&nbsp;Jacob Duffy finished with 4-86 including the first two wickets of the day, taking his tally for the three-match series to 18.&nbsp;The West Indies resumed on 381-6, with Hodge on 109 batting alongside Anderson Phillip.&nbsp;Phillip lasted just nine balls and Shai Hope, who missed the last two days because of food poisoning, fell for four.&nbsp;Jayden Seales briefly showed some resistance making 15 from 53 balls until he was bowled by Ajaz Patel with a ball that grazed the off stump on the way through to the keeper.&nbsp;Kemar Roach was the last man to bat, nursing a hamstring strain suffered on day one, but lasted only two balls.&nbsp;Patel took 3-113 in 41 overs, his first wickets on home soil, while Michael Rae had 2-89.&nbsp;New Zealand made 575-8 declared in their first innings.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Doug Walters, Greg Chappell, Marnus Labuschagne, Sunil Gavaskar, Shubman Gill, Lawrence Rowe, Brian Lara, Graham Gooch and Kumar Sangakkara are those who achieved this feat earlier. 

Devon Conway became just the 10th player in Test history to hit a double century and a century in the same match on Sunday when he reached three figures before tea in New Zealand's second innings against the West Indies at Mount Maunganui. Conway was on 100 at the break and opening partner Tom Latham on 80 as New Zealand raced to 192-0 and a lead of 347 on the fourth day, backing up his 227 in the first innings. He and captain Latham, who put on a mammoth 323 opening partnership in the first innings with Latham contributing 137, have combined for 515 runs in the match. Conway joins an illustrious list in scoring a double century and a century in the same Test match. Only Doug Walters, Greg Chappell, Marnus Labuschagne, Sunil Gavaskar, Shubman Gill, Lawrence Rowe, Brian Lara, Graham Gooch and Kumar Sangakkara had achieved the feat. Conway's 327 runs so far are the third highest for New Zealand in a single Test, behind Stephen Fleming's 343 (274 and 69) against Sri Lanka in 2003, and Martin Crowe's 329 (30 and 299) against Sri Lanka in 1991. Conway and Latham added 157 runs in the middle session at more than five an over as they looked for quick runs to set up a declaration before the close. New Zealand took four wickets in the morning session as West Indies were 420 all out, with Kavem Hodge left stranded unbeaten on a fine 123 from 275 balls, including 15 boundaries. Jacob Duffy finished with 4-86 including the first two wickets of the day, taking his tally for the three-match series to 18. The West Indies resumed on 381-6, with Hodge on 109 batting alongside Anderson Phillip. Phillip lasted just nine balls and Shai Hope, who missed the last two days because of food poisoning, fell for four. Jayden Seales briefly showed some resistance making 15 from 53 balls until he was bowled by Ajaz Patel with a ball that grazed the off stump on the way through to the keeper. Kemar Roach was the last man to bat, nursing a hamstring strain suffered on day one, but lasted only two balls. Patel took 3-113 in 41 overs, his first wickets on home soil, while Michael Rae had 2-89. New Zealand made 575-8 declared in their first innings. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Doug Walters, Greg Chappell, Marnus Labuschagne, Sunil Gavaskar, Shubman Gill, Lawrence Rowe, Brian Lara, Graham Gooch and Kumar Sangakkara are those who achieved this feat earlier.&nbsp;

Conway becomes 1st New Zealander to hit hundred, double ton in same Test, joins elite list

French superstar Kylian Mbappe said it was an honour to equal his idol Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 59 Real Madrid goals in a calendar year on Saturday. Mbappe, on his 27th birthday, tucked home an 86th-minute penalty against Sevilla in La Liga to match Ronaldo's club record set in 2013 and secure his side a 2-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.&nbsp;"It's a special day because it's my birthday, I always said it would be a dream to play in a game on my birthday and at Real Madrid, the club of my dreams," Mbappe told Real Madrid TV. "It was the objective to finish the year with a positive result and the record is incredible.&nbsp;"To do like Cristiano did, my idol, the best player in Real Madrid's history and a world great, it's an honour for me."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/porto-land-thiago-silva-as-veteran-defender-extends-legendary-career-1766253705774">Porto land Thiago Silva as veteran defender extends legendary career</a>&nbsp;Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid side have struggled this season but Mbappe has been their key player, boasting 29 goals in 24 games across all competitions. The striker won the European Golden Shoe and La Liga's top scorer award last season and leads the Spanish standings again in the current campaign with 18 strikes.&nbsp;Mbappe has admitted he had posters of Portuguese icon Ronaldo on his bedroom walls as a child and that it was a dream to sign for Madrid when he arrived in the summer of 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain. The forward celebrated his goal against Sevilla by imitating Ronaldo's signature jumping "Siu" celebration.&nbsp;"It's an honour for me, I wanted to give him a wink because he's always been kind to me, he always spoke to me well about Madrid, how to adapt to Madrid and everything," continued Mbappe. "Now I am happy to be scoring goals for Real Madrid and to win the games... (the celebration) was for him.&nbsp;"Normally I have my own but I wanted to share that with him today. He was my idol as a kid, I have a very good relationship with him, he's a friend now."&nbsp;Portugal international Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches for Real Madrid to become their all-time top goalscorer, with Mbappe now on 73 in 83 games.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mbappe tucked home an 86th-minute penalty against Sevilla in La Liga to match Ronaldo's club record set in 2013 and secure his side a 2-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe said it was an honour to equal his idol Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 59 Real Madrid goals in a calendar year on Saturday. Mbappe, on his 27th birthday, tucked home an 86th-minute penalty against Sevilla in La Liga to match Ronaldo's club record set in 2013 and secure his side a 2-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. "It's a special day because it's my birthday, I always said it would be a dream to play in a game on my birthday and at Real Madrid, the club of my dreams," Mbappe told Real Madrid TV. "It was the objective to finish the year with a positive result and the record is incredible. "To do like Cristiano did, my idol, the best player in Real Madrid's history and a world great, it's an honour for me." Also read | Porto land Thiago Silva as veteran defender extends legendary career Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid side have struggled this season but Mbappe has been their key player, boasting 29 goals in 24 games across all competitions. The striker won the European Golden Shoe and La Liga's top scorer award last season and leads the Spanish standings again in the current campaign with 18 strikes. Mbappe has admitted he had posters of Portuguese icon Ronaldo on his bedroom walls as a child and that it was a dream to sign for Madrid when he arrived in the summer of 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain. The forward celebrated his goal against Sevilla by imitating Ronaldo's signature jumping "Siu" celebration. "It's an honour for me, I wanted to give him a wink because he's always been kind to me, he always spoke to me well about Madrid, how to adapt to Madrid and everything," continued Mbappe. "Now I am happy to be scoring goals for Real Madrid and to win the games... (the celebration) was for him. "Normally I have my own but I wanted to share that with him today. He was my idol as a kid, I have a very good relationship with him, he's a friend now." Portugal international Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches for Real Madrid to become their all-time top goalscorer, with Mbappe now on 73 in 83 games. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mbappe tucked home an 86th-minute penalty against Sevilla in La Liga to match Ronaldo's club record set in 2013 and secure his side a 2-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mbappe honoured to equal Ronaldo’s Madrid tally in calendar year in Sevilla win

Former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain stalwart Thiago Silva has joined Porto at the age of 41, the Portuguese club confirmed on Saturday, marking a remarkable new chapter in a career that refuses to slow down. Fresh off a two-season stint with Fluminense in Brazil, the veteran centre-back brings leadership, experience and a winning mentality to the Primeira Liga leaders.&nbsp;“Thiago Silva is a Dragon,” the club announced in a statement, referencing Porto’s famous nickname and underlining the scale of the signing.&nbsp;Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/-nerves-of-steel-6-one-run-thrillers-in-t20-world-cup-history-t20-world-cup-suryakumar-1766245755812"> 'Nerves of steel': 6 one-run thrillers in T20 World Cup history</a>&nbsp;Silva went on to play for Dynamo Moscow before returning to Fluminense, where he established himself at senior level. His performances earned him a move to AC Milan, where he won the Serie A title and emerged as one of world football’s elite centre-backs. In 2012, he joined Paris Saint-Germain, becoming the backbone of a dominant side that ruled French football for nearly a decade.&nbsp;During his time in Paris, Silva won seven Ligue 1 titles and multiple domestic trophies, captaining the club through its most successful era. He left PSG in 2020 to join Chelsea, where age proved no barrier. At Stamford Bridge, he played a key role in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph in 2021, lifting the trophy at Porto’s Estádio do Dragão &nbsp;the same city he now returns to.&nbsp;Across his glittering career, Silva has won 32 trophies at club level. With Porto currently leading the Primeira Liga by five points, the Brazilian could yet add another honour to an already extraordinary legacy. Even at 41, Thiago Silva continues to defy time.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience. &nbsp;

Thiago Silva has joined Porto at 41, returning to the club where his European career began. After stints with Milan, PSG, Chelsea and Fluminense, the veteran adds experience to league leaders.

Former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain stalwart Thiago Silva has joined Porto at the age of 41, the Portuguese club confirmed on Saturday, marking a remarkable new chapter in a career that refuses to slow down. Fresh off a two-season stint with Fluminense in Brazil, the veteran centre-back brings leadership, experience and a winning mentality to the Primeira Liga leaders. “Thiago Silva is a Dragon,” the club announced in a statement, referencing Porto’s famous nickname and underlining the scale of the signing. Also read | 'Nerves of steel': 6 one-run thrillers in T20 World Cup history Silva went on to play for Dynamo Moscow before returning to Fluminense, where he established himself at senior level. His performances earned him a move to AC Milan, where he won the Serie A title and emerged as one of world football’s elite centre-backs. In 2012, he joined Paris Saint-Germain, becoming the backbone of a dominant side that ruled French football for nearly a decade. During his time in Paris, Silva won seven Ligue 1 titles and multiple domestic trophies, captaining the club through its most successful era. He left PSG in 2020 to join Chelsea, where age proved no barrier. At Stamford Bridge, he played a key role in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph in 2021, lifting the trophy at Porto’s Estádio do Dragão the same city he now returns to. Across his glittering career, Silva has won 32 trophies at club level. With Porto currently leading the Primeira Liga by five points, the Brazilian could yet add another honour to an already extraordinary legacy. Even at 41, Thiago Silva continues to defy time. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Thiago Silva has joined Porto at 41, returning to the club where his European career began. After stints with Milan, PSG, Chelsea and Fluminense, the veteran adds experience to league leaders.

Porto land Thiago Silva as veteran defender extends legendary career

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said he was surprised by Shubman Gill’s exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. He added that while Gill has struggled in the recent T20I series against South Africa, but the class of a player always speaks at the end. Gill being left out was one of the biggest talking points, especially with Axar Patel being named vice-captain for the tournament. Speaking on air, the former Indian captain described the decision as a shock.&nbsp;“Not a bit of a surprise, it’s a surprise. Because he is a class act. Quality batter, who has had a fabulous season with the bat. Yes, I know he struggled for these few matches against South Africa," Gavaskar said while speaking on&nbsp;Star Sports.&nbsp;&nbsp;“But you know, class always tells in the end. You know form is always a little temporary. And he was also coming after a long layoff. So when he wasn’t in any rhythm, one can understand when you aren’t in rhythm and you are playing the shortest format of the game, where you have to go bang, bang," Gavaskar added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ishan-kishan-s-first-reaction-after-t20-world-cup-2026-call-up-1766232583064">WATCH | Ishan Kishan's first reaction after T20 World Cup 2026 call-up</a>&nbsp;Despite being among India’s most consistent performers in Tests and ODIs, Gill has not been able to secure a fixed spot in the T20I team as an opener. India’s T20 plans now focus on aggressive starts rather than the steady accumulation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-s-t20-world-cup-2026-schedule-check-dates-venues-groups-and-key-matches-1766219395427">India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches</a>&nbsp;"He is a very good player. We have seen that in the IPL, so T20 is not new to him. Maybe just that lack of form and touch went against him," Gavaskar further said.

Despite being among India’s most consistent performers in Tests and ODIs, Gill has not been able to secure a fixed spot in the T20I team as an opener. India’s T20 plans now focus on aggressive starts rather than the steady accumulation.

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said he was surprised by Shubman Gill’s exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. He added that while Gill has struggled in the recent T20I series against South Africa, but the class of a player always speaks at the end. Gill being left out was one of the biggest talking points, especially with Axar Patel being named vice-captain for the tournament. Speaking on air, the former Indian captain described the decision as a shock. “Not a bit of a surprise, it’s a surprise. Because he is a class act. Quality batter, who has had a fabulous season with the bat. Yes, I know he struggled for these few matches against South Africa," Gavaskar said while speaking on Star Sports. “But you know, class always tells in the end. You know form is always a little temporary. And he was also coming after a long layoff. So when he wasn’t in any rhythm, one can understand when you aren’t in rhythm and you are playing the shortest format of the game, where you have to go bang, bang," Gavaskar added. Also Read - WATCH | Ishan Kishan's first reaction after T20 World Cup 2026 call-up Despite being among India’s most consistent performers in Tests and ODIs, Gill has not been able to secure a fixed spot in the T20I team as an opener. India’s T20 plans now focus on aggressive starts rather than the steady accumulation. Also Read - India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches "He is a very good player. We have seen that in the IPL, so T20 is not new to him. Maybe just that lack of form and touch went against him," Gavaskar further said.

Despite being among India’s most consistent performers in Tests and ODIs, Gill has not been able to secure a fixed spot in the T20I team as an opener. India’s T20 plans now focus on aggressive starts rather than the steady accumulation.

'It’s a surprise': Sunil Gavaskar reacts to Shubman Gill’s T20 World Cup 2026 snub

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has shared his first reaction after making a comeback to the Indian cricket team following a long gap of two years. &nbsp;Kishan has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The 27-year-old last played for India in a T20I against Australia in Nov 2023. After two years of hard work in domestic cricket, Kishan has finally earned the chance to wear the Indian jersey again. He recently led Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, scoring a spectacular century in the final.&nbsp;&nbsp;Following his selection, Kishan expressed his happiness at returning to the national team. “Thank you so much. It feels great to be back in the Indian team. The entire Jharkhand squad contributed to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph,” Kishan told ANI.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-india-left-out-shubman-gill-from-t20-world-cup-2026-squad-selector-ajit-agarkar-explains-1766223396694">Why India left out Gill from T20 World Cup squad? Selector Ajit Agarkar explains</a><h2>Watch the video</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Patna, Bihar | On his comeback to India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan says, &quot;I am very happy...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/R2oKsCd9U2">pic.twitter.com/R2oKsCd9U2</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2002311735768936651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

From the last two years, Kishan has focused fully on domestic cricket, working hard to regain his form. In the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44, with a strike rate of over 197.&nbsp;&nbsp;His most impressive performance came in the final, where he scored 101 off 49 balls against Haryana, hitting six fours and ten sixes. He led Jharkhand to a total of 262/3 and earned the Player of the Match award in their 69-run victory.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-s-t20-world-cup-2026-schedule-check-dates-venues-groups-and-key-matches-1766219395427">India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches</a><h3>Selectors speaks on Gill's exclusion</h3>The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday (Dec 20). In a surprise move, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain, was left out of the 15-member squad.&nbsp;&nbsp;The selectors quickly clarified that Gill’s exclusion was not about his talent but a tactical decision based on the team combination India wants for the tournament, especially at the top of the batting order.<h2>India T20 World Cup 2026 squad</h2>Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan

After two years of hard work in domestic cricket, Kishan has finally earned the chance to wear the Indian jersey again. He recently led Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, scoring a spectacular century in the final. 

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has shared his first reaction after making a comeback to the Indian cricket team following a long gap of two years. Kishan has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The 27-year-old last played for India in a T20I against Australia in Nov 2023. After two years of hard work in domestic cricket, Kishan has finally earned the chance to wear the Indian jersey again. He recently led Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, scoring a spectacular century in the final. Following his selection, Kishan expressed his happiness at returning to the national team. “Thank you so much. It feels great to be back in the Indian team. The entire Jharkhand squad contributed to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph,” Kishan told ANI. Also Read - Why India left out Gill from T20 World Cup squad? Selector Ajit Agarkar explains Watch the video

After two years of hard work in domestic cricket, Kishan has finally earned the chance to wear the Indian jersey again. He recently led Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, scoring a spectacular century in the final.&nbsp;

WATCH | Ishan Kishan's first reaction after T20 World Cup 2026 call-up

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday (Dec 19) attached assets worth ₹7.9 crore belonging to Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actors Urvashi Rautela and Sonu Sood, and former TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty in connection with a money laundering case linked to an illegal betting app.The agency stated that the investigation commenced following the filing of multiple FIRs by various state police agencies against the operators of the offshore betting platform 1xBet.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat, 1xbat Sporting lines were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across India,” the ED said in a statement. According to reports, the illegal betting network is estimated to be worth more than ₹1,000 crore.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-sanju-samson-to-ishan-kishan-5-players-who-could-shine-at-t20-world-cup-2026-1766223416048">From Sanju Samson to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who could shine at T20 World Cup 2026</a>&nbsp;The attached assets include both movable and immovable properties. Sources told news agencies that the assets include around ₹2.5 crore of Yuvraj Singh, ₹8.26 lakh of Robin Uthappa, ₹1 crore of Sonu Sood, ₹2.02 crore of Urvashi Rautela’s mother, ₹59 lakh of Mimi Chakraborty, ₹1.26 crore of Neha Sharma, and ₹47 lakh of Bengali actor Ankush Hazra.&nbsp;The ED said its probe revealed that the celebrities had “knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates. These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to Proceeds of Crime (POC) generated from illegal betting activities.”&nbsp;The case has drawn widespread attention as it involves high-profile names from sports, films, and politics. The ED has been examining transactions, promotional deals, and the flow of funds between the offshore betting platform and Indian celebrities.&nbsp;Officials said the attached properties will remain under ED control as the investigation continues. The agency is also looking into other individuals and entities that may have been involved in promoting or facilitating the illegal betting network.&nbsp;The investigation highlights the growing concern over illegal online betting and the use of celebrity endorsements to promote such platforms. Authorities have urged people to avoid participating in unauthorized gambling activities, stressing that strict action will be taken against violators.

ED attaches ₹7.9 crore assets of Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood, and Mimi Chakraborty in a ₹1,000 crore illegal betting case, highlighting money laundering and celebrity endorsements.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday (Dec 19) attached assets worth ₹7.9 crore belonging to Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actors Urvashi Rautela and Sonu Sood, and former TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty in connection with a money laundering case linked to an illegal betting app. The agency stated that the investigation commenced following the filing of multiple FIRs by various state police agencies against the operators of the offshore betting platform 1xBet. “The investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat, 1xbat Sporting lines were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across India,” the ED said in a statement. According to reports, the illegal betting network is estimated to be worth more than ₹1,000 crore. Also read | From Sanju Samson to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who could shine at T20 World Cup 2026 The attached assets include both movable and immovable properties. Sources told news agencies that the assets include around ₹2.5 crore of Yuvraj Singh, ₹8.26 lakh of Robin Uthappa, ₹1 crore of Sonu Sood, ₹2.02 crore of Urvashi Rautela’s mother, ₹59 lakh of Mimi Chakraborty, ₹1.26 crore of Neha Sharma, and ₹47 lakh of Bengali actor Ankush Hazra. The ED said its probe revealed that the celebrities had “knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates. These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to Proceeds of Crime (POC) generated from illegal betting activities.” The case has drawn widespread attention as it involves high-profile names from sports, films, and politics. The ED has been examining transactions, promotional deals, and the flow of funds between the offshore betting platform and Indian celebrities. Officials said the attached properties will remain under ED control as the investigation continues. The agency is also looking into other individuals and entities that may have been involved in promoting or facilitating the illegal betting network. The investigation highlights the growing concern over illegal online betting and the use of celebrity endorsements to promote such platforms. Authorities have urged people to avoid participating in unauthorized gambling activities, stressing that strict action will be taken against violators.

ED attaches ₹7.9 crore assets of Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood, and Mimi Chakraborty in a ₹1,000 crore illegal betting case, highlighting money laundering and celebrity endorsements.

ED attaches ₹7.9 crore assets of Yuvraj Singh, Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela in illegal betting case

Gujarat Titans will be all ready to win their second IPL title as the squad looks all set to give its best in the 2026 season. The GT were one of the heavy spenders in the IPL 2026 auctions held earlier in the week. Reflecting on their spending and balance, Jinal Mehta, in an interview with the IPL, said they are happy with the core of the team.&nbsp;Jinal Mehta, Director, Torrent Group and Chairman, Gujarat Titans, said, “We came into the auction with our core in place and we made minimal changes to our squad. We changed only five players. We came in with very specific requirements. We needed a couple of fast bowlers, an all-rounder and a middle-order batter. We're happy with the outcome and have achieved all of our objectives. I think we have achieved what we wanted. We welcome all of these new signings and look forward to the next season.”&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;“We have made it to the playoffs three times in the four seasons that we have played, including winning in our inaugural season and being runners-up in the second season. We're looking forward to building on this journey with the squad that we have in place. I think we will have a great season.”&nbsp;Talking about Shubman Gill’s leadership, Jinal Mehta,“I think GT spotted Shubman's batting talent and his leadership capabilities early on. He has done wonderfully well for both GT and India.”&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Shaan Mehta, added, “The team bonding that has happened over the last few years continues and Shubman continues to lead us going forward for many years to come.”Commenting on Narendra Modi Stadium, Jinal Mehta said, “We are very lucky to have the world's largest stadium as our home. The atmosphere at the stadium is electrifying whenever the Gujarat Titans are playing. That really builds the right setting for our players to perform, and I think we couldn't have had a better home than the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.” &nbsp;

The GT were one of the heavy spenders in the IPL 2026 auctions held earlier in the week. Reflecting on their spending and balance, Jinal Mehta, in an interview with the IPL, said they are happy with the core of the team.

Gujarat Titans will be all ready to win their second IPL title as the squad looks all set to give its best in the 2026 season. The GT were one of the heavy spenders in the IPL 2026 auctions held earlier in the week. Reflecting on their spending and balance, Jinal Mehta, in an interview with the IPL, said they are happy with the core of the team. Jinal Mehta, Director, Torrent Group and Chairman, Gujarat Titans, said, “We came into the auction with our core in place and we made minimal changes to our squad. We changed only five players. We came in with very specific requirements. We needed a couple of fast bowlers, an all-rounder and a middle-order batter. We're happy with the outcome and have achieved all of our objectives. I think we have achieved what we wanted. We welcome all of these new signings and look forward to the next season.” ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes “We have made it to the playoffs three times in the four seasons that we have played, including winning in our inaugural season and being runners-up in the second season. We're looking forward to building on this journey with the squad that we have in place. I think we will have a great season.” Talking about Shubman Gill’s leadership, Jinal Mehta,“I think GT spotted Shubman's batting talent and his leadership capabilities early on. He has done wonderfully well for both GT and India.” ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Shaan Mehta, added, “The team bonding that has happened over the last few years continues and Shubman continues to lead us going forward for many years to come.” Commenting on Narendra Modi Stadium, Jinal Mehta said, “We are very lucky to have the world's largest stadium as our home. The atmosphere at the stadium is electrifying whenever the Gujarat Titans are playing. That really builds the right setting for our players to perform, and I think we couldn't have had a better home than the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.”

The GT were one of the heavy spenders in the IPL 2026 auctions held earlier in the week. Reflecting on their spending and balance, Jinal Mehta, in an interview with the IPL, said they are happy with the core of the team.

Gujarat Titans board reflects on team’s auction strategy, says 'we came in with...'

The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday (Dec 20). In a surprise move, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain, was left out of the 15-member squad. Gill’s recent struggles with the bat led the BCCI selection committee to drop him. This means he will miss his second consecutive T20 World Cup, having also missed last year’s tournament in the USA and West Indies. The selectors quickly clarified that Gill’s exclusion was not about his talent but a tactical decision based on the team combination India wants for the tournament, especially at the top of the batting order. &nbsp;&nbsp;“There’s no doubt about Shubman’s quality. He may not have scored as many runs recently, but that doesn’t change how highly we rate him. He was also unlucky to miss out in the last World Cup when we opted for a different combination," Agarkar said. "Once again, this is more about team balance—specifically the idea of having two wicketkeepers at the top—than about individual ability,” Agarkar added.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-s-t20-world-cup-2026-schedule-check-dates-venues-groups-and-key-matches-1766219395427">India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches</a>&nbsp;India captain Suryakumar Yadav also clarified that the decision was based on team balance, and not on Shubman Gill’s form.&nbsp;“It’s not about his form. It’s just about the combination. We wanted to have a keeper at the top. It’s not about his form. There’s no chatter about his quality. He is a terrific player,” Suryakumar said.&nbsp;&nbsp;As part of the changes, Axar Patel has been named vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. The squad also sees the return of Ishan Kishan, who shone in domestic cricket this season by helping Jharkhand to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.&nbsp;<h2>India T20 World Cup 2026 Squad</h2>Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan

As part of the changes, Axar Patel has been named India’s vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. The squad also sees the return of Ishan Kishan, who shone in domestic cricket this season by helping Jharkhand win its maiden SMAT title

The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday (Dec 20). In a surprise move, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain, was left out of the 15-member squad. Gill’s recent struggles with the bat led the BCCI selection committee to drop him. This means he will miss his second consecutive T20 World Cup, having also missed last year’s tournament in the USA and West Indies. The selectors quickly clarified that Gill’s exclusion was not about his talent but a tactical decision based on the team combination India wants for the tournament, especially at the top of the batting order. “There’s no doubt about Shubman’s quality. He may not have scored as many runs recently, but that doesn’t change how highly we rate him. He was also unlucky to miss out in the last World Cup when we opted for a different combination," Agarkar said. "Once again, this is more about team balance—specifically the idea of having two wicketkeepers at the top—than about individual ability,” Agarkar added. Also Read - India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches India captain Suryakumar Yadav also clarified that the decision was based on team balance, and not on Shubman Gill’s form. “It’s not about his form. It’s just about the combination. We wanted to have a keeper at the top. It’s not about his form. There’s no chatter about his quality. He is a terrific player,” Suryakumar said. As part of the changes, Axar Patel has been named vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. The squad also sees the return of Ishan Kishan, who shone in domestic cricket this season by helping Jharkhand to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. India T20 World Cup 2026 Squad Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan

As part of the changes, Axar Patel has been named India’s vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. The squad also sees the return of Ishan Kishan, who shone in domestic cricket this season by helping Jharkhand win its maiden SMAT title.

Why India left out Shubman Gill from T20 World Cup 2026 squad? Selector Ajit Agarkar explains

The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday (Dec 20). In a surprise move, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain, was left out of the 15-member squad. Here is the full list of players selected for the T20 World Cup 2026.

The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday (Dec 20). In a surprise move, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain, was left out of the 15-member squad. Here is the full list of players selected for the T20 World Cup 2026.

T20 World Cup 2026: Check out India squad; batters, bowlers, keepers and more

The 2026 T20 World Cup will start on Feb 7, with India and Sri Lanka co-hosting the event. A total of 20 teams will compete and they have been divided into four groups of five sides each. India are placed in Group A with Pakistan, the Netherlands, Namibia and the USA. India, who have won the tournament twice and are the current champions will start their campaign against the USA at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Feb 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the biggest rivalries, India vs Pakistan is set for Feb 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka. Here is India’s full match schedule, with dates, venues and group information from the opening match to the knockout stage.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-return-to-domestic-circuit-named-in-vijay-hazare-trophy-squads-1766215752363">Rohit, Virat return to domestic circuit, named in Vijay Hazare Trophy squads</a><h2>T20 World Cup 2026 groups</h2><ul><li>Group A: India, Pakistan, Netherlands, Namibia and USA</li><li>Group B: Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Oman</li><li>Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal and Italy</li><li>Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, UAE and Canada</li></ul><h2>India’s full schedule</h2><ul><li>India vs USA - Feb 7 - Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai</li><li>India vs Namibia - Feb 12 - Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi</li><li>India vs Pakistan - Feb 15 - R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo</li><li>India vs Netherlands - Feb 18 - Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad</li></ul><h2>How many T20Is will India play before 2026 T20 World Cup?</h2>As part of their preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup, India will host New Zealand for a five-match T20I series next year. Below is a full look at India’s build-up, including the opponents and match dates.<h2>IND vs NZ, T20Is - Full schedule&nbsp;</h2><ul><li>1st T20I: 21 Jan, 2026, at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur (7:00 PM IST)</li><li>2nd T20I: 23 Jan, 2026, at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur (7:00 PM IST)</li><li>3rd T20I: 25 Jan, 2026, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati (7:00 PM IST)</li><li>4th T20I: 28 Jan, 2026, at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam (7:00 PM IST)</li><li>5th T20I: 31 Jan, 2026, at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram (7:00 PM IST)</li></ul>

One of the biggest rivalries, India vs Pakistan is set for Feb 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka. 

The 2026 T20 World Cup will start on Feb 7, with India and Sri Lanka co-hosting the event. A total of 20 teams will compete and they have been divided into four groups of five sides each. India are placed in Group A with Pakistan, the Netherlands, Namibia and the USA. India, who have won the tournament twice and are the current champions will start their campaign against the USA at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Feb 7. One of the biggest rivalries, India vs Pakistan is set for Feb 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka. Here is India’s full match schedule, with dates, venues and group information from the opening match to the knockout stage. Also Read - Rohit, Virat return to domestic circuit, named in Vijay Hazare Trophy squads T20 World Cup 2026 groups Group A: India, Pakistan, Netherlands, Namibia and USA Group B: Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Oman Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal and Italy Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, UAE and Canada India’s full schedule India vs USA - Feb 7 - Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai India vs Namibia - Feb 12 - Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi India vs Pakistan - Feb 15 - R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo India vs Netherlands - Feb 18 - Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad How many T20Is will India play before 2026 T20 World Cup? As part of their preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup, India will host New Zealand for a five-match T20I series next year. Below is a full look at India’s build-up, including the opponents and match dates. IND vs NZ, T20Is - Full schedule 1st T20I: 21 Jan, 2026, at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur (7:00 PM IST) 2nd T20I: 23 Jan, 2026, at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur (7:00 PM IST) 3rd T20I: 25 Jan, 2026, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati (7:00 PM IST) 4th T20I: 28 Jan, 2026, at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam (7:00 PM IST) 5th T20I: 31 Jan, 2026, at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram (7:00 PM IST)

One of the biggest rivalries, India vs Pakistan is set for Feb 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches

Ishan Kishan returned to the Indian team as the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar announced the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday (Dec 20). Much to the surprise, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain in T20Is, was dropped alongside Jitesh Sharma in the 15-man squad. Ishan’s return to the T20I fold comes after he led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) win on Thursday.<h2>Gill, Jitesh dropped from India squad</h2>The announcement made on Saturday saw chief of selectors Agarkar and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia announce the squad for both the T20 World Cup and the New Zealand series. Gill, who was struggling for form, was dropped in favour of Sanju Samson, who excelled in his opener’s position on Friday in the final T20I against South Africa. Gill was also suffering from a minor injury but was expected to be fit for the series and the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;On the other hand, Jitesh’s exclusion comes after Ishan’s rise in the domestic circuit, as selectors clearly went for form. Samson and Ishan will be the team’s two wicketkeeper options, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer not even considered.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a><h2>Rinku Singh back, Axar Patel to be vice-captain</h2>In an interesting choice, Rinku Singh returned to the fold despite being dropped from the South Africa series. However, needing back-up in the tail end of the innings, Rinku’s name came as a surprise inclusion. On the other hand, with Gill missing out, Axar Patel was given the vice-captain’s role and will act as deputy to Suryakumar Yadav.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a><h2>India's squad for T20 World Cup and T20I series against New Zealand</h2>Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan.

Much to the surprise, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain in T20Is, was dropped alongside Jitesh Sharma in the 15-man squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup.  

Ishan Kishan returned to the Indian team as the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar announced the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday (Dec 20). Much to the surprise, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain in T20Is, was dropped alongside Jitesh Sharma in the 15-man squad. Ishan’s return to the T20I fold comes after he led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) win on Thursday. Gill, Jitesh dropped from India squad The announcement made on Saturday saw chief of selectors Agarkar and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia announce the squad for both the T20 World Cup and the New Zealand series. Gill, who was struggling for form, was dropped in favour of Sanju Samson, who excelled in his opener’s position on Friday in the final T20I against South Africa. Gill was also suffering from a minor injury but was expected to be fit for the series and the T20 World Cup. On the other hand, Jitesh’s exclusion comes after Ishan’s rise in the domestic circuit, as selectors clearly went for form. Samson and Ishan will be the team’s two wicketkeeper options, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer not even considered. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Rinku Singh back, Axar Patel to be vice-captain In an interesting choice, Rinku Singh returned to the fold despite being dropped from the South Africa series. However, needing back-up in the tail end of the innings, Rinku’s name came as a surprise inclusion. On the other hand, with Gill missing out, Axar Patel was given the vice-captain’s role and will act as deputy to Suryakumar Yadav. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes India's squad for T20 World Cup and T20I series against New Zealand Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan.

Much to the surprise, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain in T20Is, was dropped alongside Jitesh Sharma in the 15-man squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. &nbsp;

T20 World Cup 2026: Ishan Kishan returns to Team India after SMAT heroics, Shubman Gill dropped amid poor form

Former India captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been picked in Mumbai and Delhi’s squads for the first two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The BCCI has asked senior players to take part in domestic cricket to stay in the race for ODI selection. MCA secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar told The Indian Express that Rohit Sharma has confirmed his availability for the first two matches. Rohit will join the Mumbai team in Jaipur on Dec 23. He further added that Jaiswal will inform the association once he is ready to play.&nbsp;“He informed us that he will be available to play the first two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches and he will be joining the Mumbai team on December 23 in Jaipur. As far as Jaiswal is concerned, he needs some more rest and he has told us that whenever he is fit, he will inform MCA," said Khanvilkar.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, Delhi’s squad includes Virat Kohli, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, and fast bowlers Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini and Harshit Rana. Pant has been named captain, with Ayush Badoni as vice-captain.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ind-vs-sa-not-jasprit-bumrah-but-hardik-pandya-man-was-the-difference-says-proteas-coach-shukri-conrad-in-ahmedabad-1766206867001">IND vs SA: Not Bumrah, but THIS man was the difference, says Shukri Conrad</a>&nbsp;Mumbai will face Sikkim on Dec 24 and Uttarakhand on Dec 26 in Jaipur. On the same days, Delhi will play against Andhra and Gujarat in Bengaluru.&nbsp;Rohit and Kohli retired from T20 internationals after India won the 2024 World Cup and later stepped away from Test cricket after the 2024-25 Australia tour. Both have played only one Ranji Trophy match last season, Kohli for Delhi after 12 years and Rohit for Mumbai after 10 years. At present, they are only playing in ODIs.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-australia-edge-closer-to-retaining-ashes-as-england-survive-day-4-after-zak-crawley-s-resistance-1766214211735">Australia edge closer to retaining Ashes as England survive Day 4 after Zak Crawley's resistance</a><h2>Shami to lead Bengal's pace attack</h2>Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been included in the Bengal squad after a strong comeback to domestic cricket this season. After returning from a long injury break, Shami has been in excellent form, taking 36 wickets across formats.&nbsp;&nbsp;Shami was especially impressive in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he was Bengal’s top wicket-taker. He picked up 16 wickets in seven matches, at an average of 14.93.<h2>Squads</h2>Delhi Squad: Rishabh Pant (C) Ayush Badoni V.C., Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Harshit Rana, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Sarthak Ranjan, Priyansh Arya, Tejasvi Singh (WK), Nitish Rana, Hritik Shokeen, Harsh Tyagi, Simarjeet Singh, Prince Yadav, Divij Mehra, Ayush Doseja, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rohan Rana and Anuj Rawat&nbsp;Mumbai Squad: Shardul Thakur (C), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Mulchandani, Musheer Khan, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sarfaraz Khan, Siddhesh Lad, Chimay Sutar, Akash Anand, Hardik Tamore, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Onkar Tarmale, Sylvester Dsouza, Sairaj Patil and Suryansh Shedge&nbsp;Bengal Squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Anustup Majumdar, Abishek Porel (WK), Sudip Kr Gharami, Sumanta Gupta, Sumit Nag (WK), Chandrahas Dash, Shahbaz Ahmed, Karan Lal, Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Sayan Ghosh, Ravi Kumar, Aamir Gani, Vishal Bhati and Ankit Mishra&nbsp;

Mumbai will face Sikkim on Dec 24 and Uttarakhand on Dec 26 in Jaipur. On the same days, Delhi will play against Andhra and Gujarat in Bengaluru.

Former India captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been picked in Mumbai and Delhi’s squads for the first two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The BCCI has asked senior players to take part in domestic cricket to stay in the race for ODI selection. MCA secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar told The Indian Express that Rohit Sharma has confirmed his availability for the first two matches. Rohit will join the Mumbai team in Jaipur on Dec 23. He further added that Jaiswal will inform the association once he is ready to play. “He informed us that he will be available to play the first two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches and he will be joining the Mumbai team on December 23 in Jaipur. As far as Jaiswal is concerned, he needs some more rest and he has told us that whenever he is fit, he will inform MCA," said Khanvilkar. Meanwhile, Delhi’s squad includes Virat Kohli, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, and fast bowlers Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini and Harshit Rana. Pant has been named captain, with Ayush Badoni as vice-captain. Also Read - IND vs SA: Not Bumrah, but THIS man was the difference, says Shukri Conrad Mumbai will face Sikkim on Dec 24 and Uttarakhand on Dec 26 in Jaipur. On the same days, Delhi will play against Andhra and Gujarat in Bengaluru. Rohit and Kohli retired from T20 internationals after India won the 2024 World Cup and later stepped away from Test cricket after the 2024-25 Australia tour. Both have played only one Ranji Trophy match last season, Kohli for Delhi after 12 years and Rohit for Mumbai after 10 years. At present, they are only playing in ODIs. Also Read - Australia edge closer to retaining Ashes as England survive Day 4 after Zak Crawley's resistance Shami to lead Bengal's pace attack Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been included in the Bengal squad after a strong comeback to domestic cricket this season. After returning from a long injury break, Shami has been in excellent form, taking 36 wickets across formats. Shami was especially impressive in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he was Bengal’s top wicket-taker. He picked up 16 wickets in seven matches, at an average of 14.93. Squads Delhi Squad: Rishabh Pant (C) Ayush Badoni V.C., Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Harshit Rana, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Sarthak Ranjan, Priyansh Arya, Tejasvi Singh (WK), Nitish Rana, Hritik Shokeen, Harsh Tyagi, Simarjeet Singh, Prince Yadav, Divij Mehra, Ayush Doseja, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rohan Rana and Anuj Rawat Mumbai Squad: Shardul Thakur (C), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Mulchandani, Musheer Khan, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sarfaraz Khan, Siddhesh Lad, Chimay Sutar, Akash Anand, Hardik Tamore, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Onkar Tarmale, Sylvester Dsouza, Sairaj Patil and Suryansh Shedge Bengal Squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Anustup Majumdar, Abishek Porel (WK), Sudip Kr Gharami, Sumanta Gupta, Sumit Nag (WK), Chandrahas Dash, Shahbaz Ahmed, Karan Lal, Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Sayan Ghosh, Ravi Kumar, Aamir Gani, Vishal Bhati and Ankit Mishra

Mumbai will face Sikkim on Dec 24 and Uttarakhand on Dec 26 in Jaipur. On the same days, Delhi will play against Andhra and Gujarat in Bengaluru.

Rohit, Virat return to domestic circuit, named in Vijay Hazare Trophy squads

Australia have taken a giant step towards retaining the Ashes after a dominating Day 4 of the ongoing Adelaide Test on Saturday (Dec 20). Playing at the Adelaide Oval, Australia need four more wickets on Day 5 of the Test to win the Ashes 3-0 with two matches to go. At Stumps on Day 4, England closed at 207/6, needing 228 more runs to win. This comes after Australia were bowled out for 349 runs in their second innings in the opening session of Day 4.<h2>Australia on Ashes brink</h2>England lost Zak Crawley (85), Joe Root (39), Harry Brook (30), and Ben Stokes (5) in the final session, with Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins doing the damage. England must win to keep the five-match series alive after being crushed by eight wickets at Perth and Brisbane. Australia, as holders, only need a draw to retain the urn. With attendance over the first four days swelling to more than 200,000 -- a record for the Adelaide Oval, which has been hosting Tests since 1884 -- they faced a daunting task.&nbsp;No team has ever chased down more than 316 at the venue, while the biggest successful run chase in Test history was 418 by the West Indies against Australia at St. Johns in 2003. England took six wickets before lunch to wrap up Australia's second innings for 349, with Travis Head slamming 170 and Alex Carey 72.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;It left them with 10 minutes to bat before the break, but disaster struck in the second over when Ben Duckett, on four, edged Cummins to Marnus Labuschagne at second slip. Number three, Ollie Pope has struggled all series and was widely seen as on his last chance with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;He failed to deliver again, gone for 17 with Labuschagne taking a stunning one-handed catch at full stretch in the slips, again off Cummins. Watchful opener Crawley built a 78-run stand with Root, who needed a big score to save his side but had no answer to Cummins again. The Australian skipper removed him for a 13th time in Tests, more than any other bowler, with a furious Root berating himself after prodding at a full delivery and feathering to Carey.

Playing at the Adelaide Oval, Australia need four more wickets on Day 5 of the Test to win the Ashes 3-0 with two matches to go. At Stumps on Day 4, England closed at 207/6, needing 228 more runs to win. 

Australia have taken a giant step towards retaining the Ashes after a dominating Day 4 of the ongoing Adelaide Test on Saturday (Dec 20). Playing at the Adelaide Oval, Australia need four more wickets on Day 5 of the Test to win the Ashes 3-0 with two matches to go. At Stumps on Day 4, England closed at 207/6, needing 228 more runs to win. This comes after Australia were bowled out for 349 runs in their second innings in the opening session of Day 4. Australia on Ashes brink England lost Zak Crawley (85), Joe Root (39), Harry Brook (30), and Ben Stokes (5) in the final session, with Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins doing the damage. England must win to keep the five-match series alive after being crushed by eight wickets at Perth and Brisbane. Australia, as holders, only need a draw to retain the urn. With attendance over the first four days swelling to more than 200,000 -- a record for the Adelaide Oval, which has been hosting Tests since 1884 -- they faced a daunting task. No team has ever chased down more than 316 at the venue, while the biggest successful run chase in Test history was 418 by the West Indies against Australia at St. Johns in 2003. England took six wickets before lunch to wrap up Australia's second innings for 349, with Travis Head slamming 170 and Alex Carey 72. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes It left them with 10 minutes to bat before the break, but disaster struck in the second over when Ben Duckett, on four, edged Cummins to Marnus Labuschagne at second slip. Number three, Ollie Pope has struggled all series and was widely seen as on his last chance with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes He failed to deliver again, gone for 17 with Labuschagne taking a stunning one-handed catch at full stretch in the slips, again off Cummins. Watchful opener Crawley built a 78-run stand with Root, who needed a big score to save his side but had no answer to Cummins again. The Australian skipper removed him for a 13th time in Tests, more than any other bowler, with a furious Root berating himself after prodding at a full delivery and feathering to Carey.

Playing at the Adelaide Oval, Australia need four more wickets on Day 5 of the Test to win the Ashes 3-0 with two matches to go. At Stumps on Day 4, England closed at 207/6, needing 228 more runs to win.&nbsp;

Australia edge closer to retaining Ashes as England survive Day 4 after Zak Crawley's resistance

South Africa coach Shukri Conrad was full of praise for the Indian team after they pocketed the T20I series 3-1 with a 30-run win in Ahmedabad on Friday (Dec 19). Playing at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, India won after the heroics of Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma; however, Conrad was in awe of Hardik Pandya, who played a match-winning knock. According to the Proteas coach, Hardik was the difference-maker for the hosts and will be a key weapon for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.<h2>Conrad in awe of Hardik</h2>“If I were brutally honest, in taking nothing away from Bumrah, I think Hardik’s been the difference between the two teams. I think his knock tonight was the difference between us winning and losing. I think he played a knock in the first one as well, where he just walked in, and we had him in a little bit of trouble,” Conrad said after the match.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Pandya led India's batting assault with his 16-ball 50 to set up a 30-run win over South Africa and clinch the series 3-1 in the fifth T20 on Friday. A punishing 105-run fourth partnership between Pandya, who hammered 63 off 25 balls, and Tilak Varma (73) swept India to 231-5 at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;In reply, South Africa started strongly thanks to a 35-ball 65 by Quinton de Kock, who played his 100th T20 for the national team, but the opener's departure triggered a collapse, and the Proteas ended on 201-8.&nbsp;The win sealed India's eighth consecutive T20 series triumph, a streak that began in December 2023. South Africa began the tour with a stunning 2-0 triumph in the Test series, but the white-ball contests proved disappointing as they also lost the one-day series 2-1.

Playing at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, India won after the heroics of Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma; however, Shukri Conrad was in awe of Hardik Pandya, who played a match-winning knock.

South Africa coach Shukri Conrad was full of praise for the Indian team after they pocketed the T20I series 3-1 with a 30-run win in Ahmedabad on Friday (Dec 19). Playing at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, India won after the heroics of Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma; however, Conrad was in awe of Hardik Pandya, who played a match-winning knock. According to the Proteas coach, Hardik was the difference-maker for the hosts and will be a key weapon for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Conrad in awe of Hardik “If I were brutally honest, in taking nothing away from Bumrah, I think Hardik’s been the difference between the two teams. I think his knock tonight was the difference between us winning and losing. I think he played a knock in the first one as well, where he just walked in, and we had him in a little bit of trouble,” Conrad said after the match. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Pandya led India's batting assault with his 16-ball 50 to set up a 30-run win over South Africa and clinch the series 3-1 in the fifth T20 on Friday. A punishing 105-run fourth partnership between Pandya, who hammered 63 off 25 balls, and Tilak Varma (73) swept India to 231-5 at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes In reply, South Africa started strongly thanks to a 35-ball 65 by Quinton de Kock, who played his 100th T20 for the national team, but the opener's departure triggered a collapse, and the Proteas ended on 201-8. The win sealed India's eighth consecutive T20 series triumph, a streak that began in December 2023. South Africa began the tour with a stunning 2-0 triumph in the Test series, but the white-ball contests proved disappointing as they also lost the one-day series 2-1.

Playing at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, India won after the heroics of Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma; however, Shukri Conrad was in awe of Hardik Pandya, who played a match-winning knock.

IND vs SA: Not Bumrah, but THIS man was the difference, says Proteas coach Shukri Conrad in Ahmedabad

Former India player and commentator Robin Uthappa has backed India to defend its T20 World Cup title as they face stern competition ahead of the tournament. India, which won the 2024 T20 World Cup going undefeated in the edition, will enter the latest tournament under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. JioStar expert Robin Uthappa has backed the Men in Blue to win the World Cup, comparing them to the Women’s team as 50 days remain until the start of the 2026 T20 World Cup.<h2>Can India break the hosts' jinx?</h2>“We’ve broken the host curse before, with the Women’s World Cup, and I believe India can do it again. It’s possible when everything aligns: team unity, playing for each other, building camaraderie during the tournament, and sheer collective desire to win,” Uthappa said while speaking in JioStar Press Room.&nbsp;No team in the history of the T20 World Cup has won the tournament on home soil, with Sri Lanka being the closest in 2012 when they lost to the West Indies. According to Uthappa, India have all the necessary tools in the arsenal to win the T20 World Cup.<h2>When is the squad announcement?</h2>The selection committee, led by Agarkar, will have a huge call to make on Saturday (Dec 20) with eyes firmly on a few big names, including Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer. “India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad will be announced on Saturday with the same squad being named for the New Zealand series,” a BCCI source told WION.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;India is one of the favourites to win the World Cup, with home advantage being a crucial factor. Captain Suryakumar Yadav is expected to travel to Mumbai overnight with India playing in the final T20I against South Africa on Friday. Gill, despite struggling with form and injury, is expected to be picked up, while Rinku Singh, who was dropped from the South Africa series, will face an anxious wait.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The bowling department will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, who is expected to be available for the series and the World Cup. He played a key role in India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup in 2024 alongside Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel.&nbsp;Catch all the reactions from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad announcement, on December 20, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.

India is one of the favourites to win the World Cup, with home advantage being a crucial factor. Captain Suryakumar Yadav is expected to travel to Mumbai overnight with India playing in the final T20I against South Africa on Friday.

Former India player and commentator Robin Uthappa has backed India to defend its T20 World Cup title as they face stern competition ahead of the tournament. India, which won the 2024 T20 World Cup going undefeated in the edition, will enter the latest tournament under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. JioStar expert Robin Uthappa has backed the Men in Blue to win the World Cup, comparing them to the Women’s team as 50 days remain until the start of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Can India break the hosts' jinx? “We’ve broken the host curse before, with the Women’s World Cup, and I believe India can do it again. It’s possible when everything aligns: team unity, playing for each other, building camaraderie during the tournament, and sheer collective desire to win,” Uthappa said while speaking in JioStar Press Room. No team in the history of the T20 World Cup has won the tournament on home soil, with Sri Lanka being the closest in 2012 when they lost to the West Indies. According to Uthappa, India have all the necessary tools in the arsenal to win the T20 World Cup. When is the squad announcement? The selection committee, led by Agarkar, will have a huge call to make on Saturday (Dec 20) with eyes firmly on a few big names, including Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer. “India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad will be announced on Saturday with the same squad being named for the New Zealand series,” a BCCI source told WION. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes India is one of the favourites to win the World Cup, with home advantage being a crucial factor. Captain Suryakumar Yadav is expected to travel to Mumbai overnight with India playing in the final T20I against South Africa on Friday. Gill, despite struggling with form and injury, is expected to be picked up, while Rinku Singh, who was dropped from the South Africa series, will face an anxious wait. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes The bowling department will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, who is expected to be available for the series and the World Cup. He played a key role in India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup in 2024 alongside Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. Catch all the reactions from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad announcement, on December 20, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.

India is one of the favourites to win the World Cup, with home advantage being a crucial factor. Captain Suryakumar Yadav is expected to travel to Mumbai overnight with India playing in the final T20I against South Africa on Friday.

'We’ve broken the host curse before': Robin Uthappa backs India to defend T20 World Cup on home soil

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