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Pakistan will look to bounce back from their disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign as they take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series followed by ODI series. The series starting on Mar 16 comes a week after the Champions Trophy final defeat against India for New Zealand. But now the Kiwis will look to put behind the disappointment.
Ahead of the key series between New Zealand and Pakistan, here is all you need to know about the tournament including live streaming, time, date and other details.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When will the Pakistan tour of New Zealand begin?<o:p></o:p></h2>
Pakistan tour of New Zealand will begin on Sunday (Mar 16) with the white ball tour ending on April 5.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What will be the match timings of the New Zealand vs Pakistan Tests, according to Indian Standard Time (IST)?<o:p></o:p></h2>
The New Zealand vs Pakistan T20Is will begin at 6:45 AM IST and 2:15 PM local time while the ODIs will begin at 3:30 AM IST and 11:00 AM local time.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">At what time will the toss take place during the New Zealand vs Pakistan series?<o:p></o:p></h2>
The New Zealand vs Pakistan toss will take place 30 minutes before the scheduled start of play, i.e. 6:45 AM IST for T20Is and 3:00 AM for ODIs.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When will the New Zealand vs Pakistan white-ball series begin?<o:p></o:p></h2>
The New Zealand vs Pakistan white-ball series will begin on Sunday (Mar 16).
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Which TV channels will telecast New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India?</h2>
Sony Sports Network will ve broadcasting the New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">How to watch the live streaming of New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India?<o:p></o:p></h2>
Sony LIV will livestream stream New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/aussie-t20i-skipper-mitchell-marsh-declared-fit-for-ipl-2025-after-missing-out-champions-trophy-with-injury-8849892" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Schedule for New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I Series<o:p></o:p></h2>
1st T20I &ndash; Sunday, March 16, Christchurch
2nd T20I &ndash; Tuesday, March 18, Dunedin
3rd T20I &ndash; Friday, March 21, Auckland
4th T20I &ndash; Sunday, March 23, Mount Maunganui
5th T20I &ndash; Wednesday, March 26, Wellington
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Schedule for New Zealand vs Pakistan ODI Series<o:p></o:p></h2>
1st ODI &ndash; Saturday, March 29, Napier
2nd ODI &ndash; Wednesday, April 2, Hamilton
3rd ODI &ndash; Saturday, April 5, Mount Maunganui

Cricket, Sports: Pakistan will look to bounce back from their disappointing CT 2025 campaign as they take New Zealand in a five-match T20I series followed by ODI series.

Pakistan will look to bounce back from their disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign as they take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series followed by ODI series. The series starting on Mar 16 comes a week after the Champions Trophy final defeat against India for New Zealand. But now the Kiwis will look to put behind the disappointment. Ahead of the key series between New Zealand and Pakistan, here is all you need to know about the tournament including live streaming, time, date and other details. When will the Pakistan tour of New Zealand begin? Pakistan tour of New Zealand will begin on Sunday (Mar 16) with the white ball tour ending on April 5. What will be the match timings of the New Zealand vs Pakistan Tests, according to Indian Standard Time (IST)? The New Zealand vs Pakistan T20Is will begin at 6:45 AM IST and 2:15 PM local time while the ODIs will begin at 3:30 AM IST and 11:00 AM local time. At what time will the toss take place during the New Zealand vs Pakistan series? The New Zealand vs Pakistan toss will take place 30 minutes before the scheduled start of play, i.e. 6:45 AM IST for T20Is and 3:00 AM for ODIs. When will the New Zealand vs Pakistan white-ball series begin? The New Zealand vs Pakistan white-ball series will begin on Sunday (Mar 16). Which TV channels will telecast New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India? Sony Sports Network will ve broadcasting the New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India. How to watch the live streaming of New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India? Sony LIV will livestream stream New Zealand vs Pakistan matches in India. ALSO READ | Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury Schedule for New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I Series 1st T20I – Sunday, March 16, Christchurch 2nd T20I – Tuesday, March 18, Dunedin 3rd T20I – Friday, March 21, Auckland 4th T20I – Sunday, March 23, Mount Maunganui 5th T20I – Wednesday, March 26, Wellington Schedule for New Zealand vs Pakistan ODI Series 1st ODI – Saturday, March 29, Napier 2nd ODI – Wednesday, April 2, Hamilton 3rd ODI – Saturday, April 5, Mount Maunganui

Pakistan tour of New Zealand: All you need to know about NZ vs PAK white-ball series, live streaming, date

Former India batter and BCCI chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar isn't too happy with Shreyas Iyer despite his recent exploits in the Champions Trophy 2025. Iyer was India's highest and overall second highest run-scorer in the tournament with 243 runs in five innings including two fifties.
The former India batter, however, believes that Iyer should have batted throughout the innings in the final against New Zealand which India eventually won by four wickets. After three quick wickets, Iyer scored a handy 48 and was out with India needing 69 more runs to win.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/its-the-number-one-project-its-at-the-top-australia-speedster-mitchell-starc-on-ipl-2025-kkr-dc-8850286">&lsquo;It&rsquo;s the number one project, it&rsquo;s at the top,&rsquo; Australia speedster Starc on IPL</a>
&ldquo;Iyer did very well but I am not happy [with] the way he got out in the final. He should have continued till the very end and finished the game. But happy to see him realise his potential," Vengsarkar told PTI.
Iyer, who came to bat at number 4 throughout the tournament, was the bridge between top-order and lower-order and his contributions at crunch situations definitely helped India win the tournament.
Vengsarkar also pointed out his dislike for promoting Axar Patel ahead of wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul.
"KL too played a few important innings at number six but [I am] still not convinced [about] Axar Patel batting ahead of him at five. The left-hand right-hand combination could be the only reason," he said.
Rahul was clinical with the bat and remained not out three times out of four he batted. He went on to score 140 runs in four innings at an average of 140 and a strike of 98 with a highest of 42 not out - which came in the final.
Rahul was preferred over Pant despite the left-hand batter and wicketkeeper being India's first choice in T20 World Cup 2024 and on Australia tour prior to the Champions Trophy.
Rahul's exploits in ODI World Cup 2023 in absence of Pant, however, made him the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs.

Iyer, who came to bat at number 4 throughout the tournament, was the bridge between top-order and lower-order and his contributions at crunch situations definitely helped India win the tournament. Cricket Sports

Former India batter and BCCI chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar isn't too happy with Shreyas Iyer despite his recent exploits in the Champions Trophy 2025. Iyer was India's highest and overall second highest run-scorer in the tournament with 243 runs in five innings including two fifties. The former India batter, however, believes that Iyer should have batted throughout the innings in the final against New Zealand which India eventually won by four wickets. After three quick wickets, Iyer scored a handy 48 and was out with India needing 69 more runs to win. Also Read: ‘It’s the number one project, it’s at the top,’ Australia speedster Starc on IPL “Iyer did very well but I am not happy [with] the way he got out in the final. He should have continued till the very end and finished the game. But happy to see him realise his potential," Vengsarkar told PTI. Iyer, who came to bat at number 4 throughout the tournament, was the bridge between top-order and lower-order and his contributions at crunch situations definitely helped India win the tournament. Vengsarkar also pointed out his dislike for promoting Axar Patel ahead of wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul. "KL too played a few important innings at number six but [I am] still not convinced [about] Axar Patel batting ahead of him at five. The left-hand right-hand combination could be the only reason," he said. Rahul was clinical with the bat and remained not out three times out of four he batted. He went on to score 140 runs in four innings at an average of 140 and a strike of 98 with a highest of 42 not out - which came in the final. Rahul was preferred over Pant despite the left-hand batter and wicketkeeper being India's first choice in T20 World Cup 2024 and on Australia tour prior to the Champions Trophy. Rahul's exploits in ODI World Cup 2023 in absence of Pant, however, made him the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs.

'243 Runs in 5 Matches': Ex-India batter not happy with Shreyas Iyer despite stellar Champions Trophy performance

Former India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu is worried about the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The upcoming season starts March 22 when defending champs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Sidhu is worried that the England Test tour which follows the IPL 2025 will be a problem for the Indian batters.
&ldquo;The thing to be worried about is that the IPL is now coming up next. No one is ready to sit out the IPL. They will play the league and then all of a sudden comes the England tour. Conditions will shift from the North Pole to the South Pole. Completely different,&rdquo; said Sidhu as reported by news outlet the Indian Express.
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&ldquo;Moreover, India&rsquo;s last Test series in England had started on August 4. This time, it is ending on August 2. The matches are in June and July. There will be grass and moisture and the air will be so heavy that the ball will gain ample movement. And then it will move more off the seam,&rdquo; he added.
India's recent record in Test cricket isn't very inspiring. They were on the way to make it to their third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) Final in 2023-25 cycle when the catastrophe hit them.
They first lost a three-Test home series against New Zealand 0-3 before losing the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 1-3 in Australia.
While the white-ball team has managed to win two back-to-back ICC titles - 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy - it is the red-ball WTC Final win which has eluded them.
India were in the final of both WTC 2021 and WTC 2023 Final but lost to New Zealand and Australia, respectively. With England tour being their first series of next WTC cycle, India would be hoping to start on a positive note.

Former India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu is worried that the England Test tour which follows the IPL 2025 will be a problem for the Indian batters. Cricket Sports

Former India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu is worried about the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The upcoming season starts March 22 when defending champs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Sidhu is worried that the England Test tour which follows the IPL 2025 will be a problem for the Indian batters. “The thing to be worried about is that the IPL is now coming up next. No one is ready to sit out the IPL. They will play the league and then all of a sudden comes the England tour. Conditions will shift from the North Pole to the South Pole. Completely different,” said Sidhu as reported by news outlet the Indian Express. Also Watch: Rahul Dravid joins Rajasthan Royals camp in crutches “Moreover, India’s last Test series in England had started on August 4. This time, it is ending on August 2. The matches are in June and July. There will be grass and moisture and the air will be so heavy that the ball will gain ample movement. And then it will move more off the seam,” he added. India's recent record in Test cricket isn't very inspiring. They were on the way to make it to their third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) Final in 2023-25 cycle when the catastrophe hit them. They first lost a three-Test home series against New Zealand 0-3 before losing the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 1-3 in Australia. While the white-ball team has managed to win two back-to-back ICC titles - 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy - it is the red-ball WTC Final win which has eluded them. India were in the final of both WTC 2021 and WTC 2023 Final but lost to New Zealand and Australia, respectively. With England tour being their first series of next WTC cycle, India would be hoping to start on a positive note.

'There will be grass and moisture': Ex-India batter Navjot Sidhu worried about IPL 2025 - READ WHY

At the 2024 mega auction, Australia speedster <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-starc" rel="dofollow">Mitchell Starc</a> was the most expensive purchase in IPL history, going for a whopping $2.8m (INR 24.75 crore) to Kolkata Knight Riders. After one year at the KKR, where he won his maiden IPL trophy, Starc moved to Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season for less than half the price (INR 11.75 crore). Speaking highly of the cash-rich league, Starc said the IPL is the number one project but has its cons too.
Starc played just 2 seasons of IPL to date, for RCB in 2014 and for KKR in 2024. With the 18th edition just on the horizon, Starc feels the rise of Indian cricket across formats is a testament to the magnitude of the Indian Premier League. Starc said India is the only country that can afford a T20I, an ODI and a Test team ready on the same day and still be competitive.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-felt-like-ipl-in-dubai-kamran-akmal-on-pakistan-no-show-in-final-8849799" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Champions Trophy felt like IPL in Dubai,&rsquo; Kamran Akmal on Pakistan no-show in final</a>
&ldquo;I think they are probably the only nation that can have a Test team, a one-day team, and a T20 team play on the same day against Australia in the Test, England in the One-Dayer and South Africa in the T20I, and India will be competitive," Starc said during a YouTube channel 'FanaticsTV' chat. "No other country can do that.&rdquo;
<h2>What's a big no about IPL?</h2>
Speaking on how the IPL has shaped up Indian cricket, injecting confidence into players like never before, Starc said it&rsquo;s there for everyone to see how humongous this league is, with countless pros, but mentioned a big con, denying any talks of Indians having an advantage over players from the rest of the world.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-has-no-reason-to-retire-ab-de-villiers-throws-weight-behind-indias-almost-most-successful-captain-8849565" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;He has no reason to retire,&rsquo; de Villiers throws weight behind Rohit, India&rsquo;s almost &lsquo;most successful captain&rsquo;</a>
"I am not sure if it's an advantage per se because as cricketers, we have got these opportunities to play all franchise (cricket) around the world (but) the Indian guys can only play in the IPL," said Starc.&nbsp;
"Obviously, it's the number one product, has got all the Indians playing, so much influx of international talent. It's at the top. There's no doubt that it's a huge tournament...But I don't think you can just sit on that because you have guys (players around the world) that play 5-6 different franchise leagues a year; so, they are still getting the exposure to world cricket.&nbsp;
"That (IPL) helps, it's a great tournament, but, obviously, you have got to have talent there; and the depth in Indian cricket (is huge)," he added.
Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-trophy-2025-mitchell-starc-pulls-out-in-another-major-blow-for-australia-steve-smith-to-lead-8712498" rel="dofollow">Starc opted out of the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025</a> in Pakistan for personal reasons; Australia, who got knocked out in the semis (against India), was also without six of their first-team players.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: After one year at the KKR, where he won his maiden IPL trophy, Starc moved to Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season for less than half a price.

At the 2024 mega auction, Australia speedster Mitchell Starc was the most expensive purchase in IPL history, going for a whopping $2.8m (INR 24.75 crore) to Kolkata Knight Riders. After one year at the KKR, where he won his maiden IPL trophy, Starc moved to Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season for less than half the price (INR 11.75 crore). Speaking highly of the cash-rich league, Starc said the IPL is the number one project but has its cons too. Starc played just 2 seasons of IPL to date, for RCB in 2014 and for KKR in 2024. With the 18th edition just on the horizon, Starc feels the rise of Indian cricket across formats is a testament to the magnitude of the Indian Premier League. Starc said India is the only country that can afford a T20I, an ODI and a Test team ready on the same day and still be competitive. Also read | ‘Champions Trophy felt like IPL in Dubai,’ Kamran Akmal on Pakistan no-show in final “I think they are probably the only nation that can have a Test team, a one-day team, and a T20 team play on the same day against Australia in the Test, England in the One-Dayer and South Africa in the T20I, and India will be competitive," Starc said during a YouTube channel 'FanaticsTV' chat. "No other country can do that.” What's a big no about IPL? Speaking on how the IPL has shaped up Indian cricket, injecting confidence into players like never before, Starc said it’s there for everyone to see how humongous this league is, with countless pros, but mentioned a big con, denying any talks of Indians having an advantage over players from the rest of the world. Also read | ‘He has no reason to retire,’ de Villiers throws weight behind Rohit, India’s almost ‘most successful captain’ "I am not sure if it's an advantage per se because as cricketers, we have got these opportunities to play all franchise (cricket) around the world (but) the Indian guys can only play in the IPL," said Starc. "Obviously, it's the number one product, has got all the Indians playing, so much influx of international talent. It's at the top. There's no doubt that it's a huge tournament...But I don't think you can just sit on that because you have guys (players around the world) that play 5-6 different franchise leagues a year; so, they are still getting the exposure to world cricket. "That (IPL) helps, it's a great tournament, but, obviously, you have got to have talent there; and the depth in Indian cricket (is huge)," he added. Meanwhile, Starc opted out of the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan for personal reasons; Australia, who got knocked out in the semis (against India), was also without six of their first-team players. (With inputs from agencies)

‘It’s the number one project, it’s at the top,’ Australia speedster Starc on IPL

Former India coach Rahul Dravid, who took on the job in the same capacity with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals, recently joined the pre-season camp in crutches. Dravid had injured his leg in a local cricket match in Bengaluru while playing alongside his younger son Anvay.
In a post shared by the Royals on social media, Dravid was seen on a golf-kart with his leg secured in a medical boot. The former cricketer then used crutches to move to the training area where he chatted with players including Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Have a look at the video below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
💗➡️🏡 <a href="https://t.co/kdmckJn4bz">pic.twitter.com/kdmckJn4bz</a>
&mdash; Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals/status/1900035019609117001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/aussie-t20i-skipper-mitchell-marsh-declared-fit-for-ipl-2025-after-missing-out-champions-trophy-with-injury-8849892">Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury</a>
Dravid returned to Royals after serving the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) in various capacities including National Cricket Academy (NCA) head, U-19 coach and senior team coach.
He called time with India board after coaching the team to their first ICC title in 11 years with a victory in T20 World Cup 2024.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m876ug5g-vl5f0f92-evhagzxo">
Head Coach Rahul Dravid, who picked up an injury while playing Cricket in Bangalore, is recovering well and will join us today in Jaipur 💗 <a href="https://t.co/TW37tV5Isj">pic.twitter.com/TW37tV5Isj</a>
&mdash; Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals/status/1899744969038135609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Sanju Samson still not over Buttler moving out from RR</h2>
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson opened up about one of the toughest challenges he has faced&mdash;parting ways with explosive opener Jos Buttler ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Buttler, who joined the Royals in 2018, was a cornerstone of their batting lineup, scoring 3,098 runs in 83 matches at an impressive average of 41.84. However, ahead of the mega auction, Rajasthan decided against retaining the English star, opting to keep six other players instead. As a result, Buttler entered the auction pool, where Gujarat Titans secured him for over $1 million (₹15.75 crore).
Speaking to digital broadcaster Star, Samson expressed his deep bond with Buttler, whom he considers one of his closest friends.
Rajasthan Royals will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Rahul Dravid, who took on the job in same capacity with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals, recently joined the pre-season camp in crutches. Cricket Sports

Former India coach Rahul Dravid, who took on the job in the same capacity with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals, recently joined the pre-season camp in crutches. Dravid had injured his leg in a local cricket match in Bengaluru while playing alongside his younger son Anvay. In a post shared by the Royals on social media, Dravid was seen on a golf-kart with his leg secured in a medical boot. The former cricketer then used crutches to move to the training area where he chatted with players including Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Have a look at the video below: 💗➡️🏡 pic.twitter.com/kdmckJn4bz — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 13, 2025 Also Read: Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury Dravid returned to Royals after serving the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) in various capacities including National Cricket Academy (NCA) head, U-19 coach and senior team coach. He called time with India board after coaching the team to their first ICC title in 11 years with a victory in T20 World Cup 2024. Head Coach Rahul Dravid, who picked up an injury while playing Cricket in Bangalore, is recovering well and will join us today in Jaipur 💗 pic.twitter.com/TW37tV5Isj — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 12, 2025 Sanju Samson still not over Buttler moving out from RR Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson opened up about one of the toughest challenges he has faced—parting ways with explosive opener Jos Buttler ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Buttler, who joined the Royals in 2018, was a cornerstone of their batting lineup, scoring 3,098 runs in 83 matches at an impressive average of 41.84. However, ahead of the mega auction, Rajasthan decided against retaining the English star, opting to keep six other players instead. As a result, Buttler entered the auction pool, where Gujarat Titans secured him for over $1 million (₹15.75 crore). Speaking to digital broadcaster Star, Samson expressed his deep bond with Buttler, whom he considers one of his closest friends. Rajasthan Royals will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

IPL 2025 | WATCH: Rahul Dravid joins Rajasthan Royals camp in crutches

Australia T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh has been cleared to play the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season which starts March 22. Marsh is coming back to competitive cricket for the first time since January after a back injury. Notably, Marsh had missed out on recently-completed Champions Trophy 2025 due to the injury. He will, however, only play as a batter.
Marsh's availability, as confirmed by the ESPNCricinfo, will be a huge boost for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The Aussie all-rounder was picked for US $400,000 at the IPL auction in November last year. Marsh being fit offers good news to LSG which recently suffered a blow after pacer Mayank Yadav was ruled out for a few initial games.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rajasthan-royals-captain-sanju-samson-still-not-over-8847280">IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson still not over...</a>
At LSG, Marsh will reunite with his former Australia and Big Bash League (BBL) side Perth Scorchers' coach Justin Langer who is heading into the second season with the Lucknow-based franchise. Langer replaced India coach Gautam Gambhir at LSG last season when the latter moved to KKR and won them the season as mentor.
Apart from Marsh, other Aussie players namely Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are also set to take part in the IPL. All three of them missed out the Champions Trophy just like Marsh because of injury and personal reasons.
The non-availability of big stars in the Champions Trophy costed Australia dearly as they were sent packing in the semi-final by eventual winners India.
IPL 2025 starts with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 22.
LSG play their first match on March 24 against Delhi Capitals (DC) where Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will face their old franchises after the auction swap.
While Pant has been confirmed as the LSG captain, DC are the only franchise in league who have not named their captain for the upcoming season yet.&nbsp;

At LSG, Marsh will reunite with his former Australia and BBL side Perth Scorchers' coach Justin Langer who is heading into the second season with the Lucknow-based franchise. Cricket Sports

Australia T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh has been cleared to play the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season which starts March 22. Marsh is coming back to competitive cricket for the first time since January after a back injury. Notably, Marsh had missed out on recently-completed Champions Trophy 2025 due to the injury. He will, however, only play as a batter. Marsh's availability, as confirmed by the ESPNCricinfo, will be a huge boost for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The Aussie all-rounder was picked for US $400,000 at the IPL auction in November last year. Marsh being fit offers good news to LSG which recently suffered a blow after pacer Mayank Yadav was ruled out for a few initial games. Also Read: IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson still not over... At LSG, Marsh will reunite with his former Australia and Big Bash League (BBL) side Perth Scorchers' coach Justin Langer who is heading into the second season with the Lucknow-based franchise. Langer replaced India coach Gautam Gambhir at LSG last season when the latter moved to KKR and won them the season as mentor. Apart from Marsh, other Aussie players namely Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are also set to take part in the IPL. All three of them missed out the Champions Trophy just like Marsh because of injury and personal reasons. The non-availability of big stars in the Champions Trophy costed Australia dearly as they were sent packing in the semi-final by eventual winners India. IPL 2025 starts with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 22. LSG play their first match on March 24 against Delhi Capitals (DC) where Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will face their old franchises after the auction swap. While Pant has been confirmed as the LSG captain, DC are the only franchise in league who have not named their captain for the upcoming season yet.

Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury

Pakistan hosted the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025, but neither did they make it to the finale, nor did anyone from the PCB attend the final-game ceremony in Dubai - the venue for the summit clash between India and New Zealand. With embarrassment written all over it, several former stars, including ex-gloveman Kamran Akmal, spoke in rage, commenting that it never felt like Pakistan staged this event; instead, it looked like an IPL in Dubai.
Also read | &lsquo;Pakistan Cricket continues to shoot itself in its foot,&rsquo; says former coach Micky Arthur
The BCCI denied sending its team across the border for the eight-team tournament due to security concerns, later persuading the apex body to convince the host board (the PCB) to accept the hybrid model, which they previously did during the 2023 Asia Cup, to confirm India&rsquo;s participation. After initial refusals to do so, the PCB agreed to it; however, they did put some stipulations, which the Indian board had to accept in revert.
Meanwhile, during the closing presentation ceremony on Sunday (March 9) no PCB representative was present at the podium, raising questions about the panel selection by the ICC. Though the PCB wrote to the ICC seeking official word over the exclusion of their officials from the podium, Kamran strongly criticised this, saying the ICC showed the mirror to Pakistan (as to) where they stand in international cricket.
&ldquo;The ICC showed us the mirror. The tournament&rsquo;s director (Sumair) was there. He was available, and why wasn&rsquo;t he in the ceremony? It is because we don&rsquo;t deserve to be there. We are not playing good cricket. Minnow teams have shown us the mirror. No one discussed how Pakistan hosted the tournament. If we play such cricket, we will be treated like this. If you play for yourself, there will be no respect,&rdquo; Akmal said on his YouTube channel.
Also read | How Rohit's Indian Team became almost &lsquo;Invincible like Arsenal of 03/04' in Champions Trophy triumph
Besides, even though the BCCI president Roger Binny, ICC chair Jay Shah, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket&rsquo;s CEO Roger Twose were present to hand out the awards, Sumair Ahmed, the PCB&rsquo;s chief operating officer, who was also present, was nowhere to be seen.
<h2>&lsquo;Felt like an IPL event in Dubai&rsquo;</h2>
Kamran argued that Pakistan was the designated host of this tournament, and therefore they should have entertained the crowd, adding, let alone the PCB representatives, popular singer Atif Aslam, who produced the anthem, should have been there entertaining everyone during the mid-innings.
"It was our event; we hosted it. It should&rsquo;ve been our entertainers who should&rsquo;ve gone to perform in the mid-innings break, too. Atif Aslam made the anthem, he should&rsquo;ve gone there. There was no representation from our country. It felt like it was an IPL event, the way they organised it in Dubai,&rdquo; Akmal added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Even though BCCI officials, ICC chairman and New Zealand Cricket’s CEO Roger Twose attended the presentation ceremony, PCB's Sumair Ahmed was nowhere to be seen.

Pakistan hosted the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025, but neither did they make it to the finale, nor did anyone from the PCB attend the final-game ceremony in Dubai - the venue for the summit clash between India and New Zealand. With embarrassment written all over it, several former stars, including ex-gloveman Kamran Akmal, spoke in rage, commenting that it never felt like Pakistan staged this event; instead, it looked like an IPL in Dubai. Also read | ‘Pakistan Cricket continues to shoot itself in its foot,’ says former coach Micky Arthur The BCCI denied sending its team across the border for the eight-team tournament due to security concerns, later persuading the apex body to convince the host board (the PCB) to accept the hybrid model, which they previously did during the 2023 Asia Cup, to confirm India’s participation. After initial refusals to do so, the PCB agreed to it; however, they did put some stipulations, which the Indian board had to accept in revert. Meanwhile, during the closing presentation ceremony on Sunday (March 9) no PCB representative was present at the podium, raising questions about the panel selection by the ICC. Though the PCB wrote to the ICC seeking official word over the exclusion of their officials from the podium, Kamran strongly criticised this, saying the ICC showed the mirror to Pakistan (as to) where they stand in international cricket. “The ICC showed us the mirror. The tournament’s director (Sumair) was there. He was available, and why wasn’t he in the ceremony? It is because we don’t deserve to be there. We are not playing good cricket. Minnow teams have shown us the mirror. No one discussed how Pakistan hosted the tournament. If we play such cricket, we will be treated like this. If you play for yourself, there will be no respect,” Akmal said on his YouTube channel. Also read | How Rohit's Indian Team became almost ‘Invincible like Arsenal of 03/04' in Champions Trophy triumph Besides, even though the BCCI president Roger Binny, ICC chair Jay Shah, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket’s CEO Roger Twose were present to hand out the awards, Sumair Ahmed, the PCB’s chief operating officer, who was also present, was nowhere to be seen. ‘Felt like an IPL event in Dubai’ Kamran argued that Pakistan was the designated host of this tournament, and therefore they should have entertained the crowd, adding, let alone the PCB representatives, popular singer Atif Aslam, who produced the anthem, should have been there entertaining everyone during the mid-innings. "It was our event; we hosted it. It should’ve been our entertainers who should’ve gone to perform in the mid-innings break, too. Atif Aslam made the anthem, he should’ve gone there. There was no representation from our country. It felt like it was an IPL event, the way they organised it in Dubai,” Akmal added. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Champions Trophy felt like IPL in Dubai,’ Kamran Akmal on Pakistan no-show in final

India ODI captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-dismisses-retirement-rumours-after-dubais-champions-trophy-showdown-8837705" rel="dofollow">Rohit Sharma squashed all talk of his potential retirement rumours</a> after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai, saying he is going nowhere. Rohit, 37, helped India win its third ICC Champions Trophy title, becoming the most successful team in the competition&rsquo;s history. However, amid all the talks around him hanging his boots, he received support from a star player from a faraway land,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ab-de-villiers" rel="dofollow">AB de Villiers</a>.
De Villiers, who played against Rohit for most of his career, hailed him for his leadership skills and finding his lost touch. Rohit was out of form in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy final, which India won by beating New Zealand by four wickets. However, on the D-day, he was the one who stepped up and scored a match-winning 76, helping India complete the run chase.
The Protean legend said should Rohit continue to grow at this rate regarding his winning percentage as a captain, he will soon go down in history as one of the greatest captains.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/it-is-too-far-india-skipper-rohit-sharma-opens-up-on-playing-2027-odi-world-cup-8846074" rel="dofollow">'It's too far': India skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on playing 2027 ODI World Cup</a>
&ldquo;Compared to other captains, look at Rohit&rsquo;s win percentage, it&rsquo;s almost 74%, which is substantially more than any other captain of the past. If he keeps going, he will go down as one of the best ODI captains of all time. Rohit has also said he is not retiring and has requested that rumours be stopped spreading,&rdquo; de Villers said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by The Indian Express.
Rohit&rsquo;s numbers in ODIs speak for itself. Even on a tricky Dubai pitch where everyone struggled to find runs, Rohit kept the run rate intact at the top, completing a 107-run stand for the first wicket with Shubman Gill, putting India&rsquo;s nose ahead.
Commenting on his ability to score runs when the chips are down, de Villiers said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Why would he retire? With that kind of record, not only as captain but also as a batter. That 76 in the final, giving India a fantastic start, laying the foundation for success and leading from the front when the pressure was at its peak&rdquo;.&nbsp;
<h2>No need to retire</h2>
Rohit&rsquo;s numbers inside the Powerplay overs have risen since 2022, putting him in the greats category. AB said Rohit continues to evolve with time, stamping his authority as one of white-ball&rsquo;s greatest batters.
&ldquo;Rohit Sharma has got no reason to retire. No reason to take any criticism whatsoever. His record speaks for himself. Not only that, but he has also sort of transformed his game.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-how-kkrs-venky-mysore-found-a-captain-in-lost-jewel-ajinkya-rahane-venkatesh-iyer-8849149" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: How KKR&rsquo;s Venky Mysore found a captain in lost jewel Ajinkya Rahane</a>
&ldquo;If we have a look at his strike rate in the Powerplay, it was quite low for an opening batter in the Powerplay, but since 2022, his strike rate has rose to 115 in the first Powerplay, and that&rsquo;s the difference between good and great. It&rsquo;s transforming your own game, and it never stops. You have always something to learn and something to do better,&rdquo; he added.
Meanwhile, Rohit will ply his trade for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting March 22.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: AB said should Rohit continue to grow at this rate regarding his winning percentage as a captain, he will soon go down in history as one of the greatest captains.

India ODI captain Rohit Sharma squashed all talk of his potential retirement rumours after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai, saying he is going nowhere. Rohit, 37, helped India win its third ICC Champions Trophy title, becoming the most successful team in the competition’s history. However, amid all the talks around him hanging his boots, he received support from a star player from a faraway land, AB de Villiers. De Villiers, who played against Rohit for most of his career, hailed him for his leadership skills and finding his lost touch. Rohit was out of form in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy final, which India won by beating New Zealand by four wickets. However, on the D-day, he was the one who stepped up and scored a match-winning 76, helping India complete the run chase. The Protean legend said should Rohit continue to grow at this rate regarding his winning percentage as a captain, he will soon go down in history as one of the greatest captains. Also read | 'It's too far': India skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on playing 2027 ODI World Cup “Compared to other captains, look at Rohit’s win percentage, it’s almost 74%, which is substantially more than any other captain of the past. If he keeps going, he will go down as one of the best ODI captains of all time. Rohit has also said he is not retiring and has requested that rumours be stopped spreading,” de Villers said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by The Indian Express. Rohit’s numbers in ODIs speak for itself. Even on a tricky Dubai pitch where everyone struggled to find runs, Rohit kept the run rate intact at the top, completing a 107-run stand for the first wicket with Shubman Gill, putting India’s nose ahead. Commenting on his ability to score runs when the chips are down, de Villiers said, “Why would he retire? With that kind of record, not only as captain but also as a batter. That 76 in the final, giving India a fantastic start, laying the foundation for success and leading from the front when the pressure was at its peak”. No need to retire Rohit’s numbers inside the Powerplay overs have risen since 2022, putting him in the greats category. AB said Rohit continues to evolve with time, stamping his authority as one of white-ball’s greatest batters. “Rohit Sharma has got no reason to retire. No reason to take any criticism whatsoever. His record speaks for himself. Not only that, but he has also sort of transformed his game. Also read | IPL 2025: How KKR’s Venky Mysore found a captain in lost jewel Ajinkya Rahane “If we have a look at his strike rate in the Powerplay, it was quite low for an opening batter in the Powerplay, but since 2022, his strike rate has rose to 115 in the first Powerplay, and that’s the difference between good and great. It’s transforming your own game, and it never stops. You have always something to learn and something to do better,” he added. Meanwhile, Rohit will ply his trade for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting March 22. (With inputs from agencies)

‘He has no reason to retire,’ de Villiers throws weight behind Rohit, India’s almost ‘most successful captain’

Defending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL</a> champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed batting great <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane" rel="dofollow">Ajinkya Rahane</a> as their captain for the upcoming season starting March 22. Though Rahane was a last-minute buy at the 2025 mega auction, he leapfrogged another contender, Venkatesh Iyer, for KKR&rsquo;s captaincy, with the franchise&rsquo;s CEO Venky Mysore explaining what helped him find a leader in India&rsquo;s lost jewel Rahane.
Rahane is a Test great, having played, won and even captained India in several famous outings over the years; however, after a poor run in the lead-up to the 2023 WTC Final, where he topped scored across both innings, Rahane lost his place to youngsters in the Test side.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rajasthan-royals-captain-sanju-samson-still-not-over-8847280" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson still not over...</a>
In the IPL, Rahane featured for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for two seasons before this, winning the 2023 one before switching bases to KKR, for whom he played previously in 2022.
Meanwhile, Iyer (bought for a whopping $2.3 million (INR 23.75 crore) played a handy role in helping KKR lift its third IPL last year and was the frontrunner for KKR&rsquo;s captaincy but missed the bus on the experience ground.
"IPL is quite an intense tournament," Mysore said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo.
"Clearly, we think very well of Venkatesh Iyer, but at the same time, it [captaincy] is taxing on a youngster. We have seen lots of people having lots of challenges with it [handling captaincy] as they go forward. It takes a very steady hand, takes a lot of maturity and experience, which we felt Ajinkya brings with him,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>Why Rahane?</h2>
Last year, Shreyas Iyer was the KKR captain, and despite leading them to an IPL title, he chose against getting retained by them, thus entering the auction pool, where Punjab Kings (PBKS) purchased him for a whooping INR 26 crore. On the other side, Rahane went unsold on day one of the mega auction but was the first name on day two, with KKR bagging his service for INR 1.5 crore.
Mysore said for what Rahane brings to the table with that wealth of experience, he stands out to lead the team heading into the new season.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/give-him-a-break-ex-mi-bowling-coach-says-another-injury-in-the-same-spot-could-be-career-ender-for-bumrah-8845841" rel="dofollow">'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah</a>
"He has played 185 IPL games, 200 international games across formats," Mysore said. "He has led India, led Mumbai in domestic, he's led in IPL. And he has played from season one of IPL. All that is massive. There should be no surprise at all [on appointing Rahane as captain].
Mysore explains the various other factors that they considered while opting for Rahane.
&ldquo;Captaincy cannot be underestimated. This is going to be my 15th season, so I have seen a lot. It is not only about what you do on the field. There's a lot of [other] stuff when it comes to IPL, including dealing with media, and there will be expectations in terms of the captain.&nbsp;
&ldquo;At the same time, it is a new cycle, there is diversity in the team, if you have to be a successful captain, you have to invest in building relationships with everybody so that you know how to get the best out of everyone. And then there's preparatory stuff in terms of camps, bowlers' meetings, batters' meetings, interaction with coaches - that's a lot to take in. From that perspective, we are lucky we have got Ajinkya, who will be terrific for us. Not only as a captain, of which there's no doubt but also as a batsman. He has scored tons of runs,&rdquo; he added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: In the IPL, Rahane featured for CSK for two seasons before this, winning the 2023 one before switching bases to KKR, for whom he played previously in 2022.

Defending IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed batting great Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for the upcoming season starting March 22. Though Rahane was a last-minute buy at the 2025 mega auction, he leapfrogged another contender, Venkatesh Iyer, for KKR’s captaincy, with the franchise’s CEO Venky Mysore explaining what helped him find a leader in India’s lost jewel Rahane. Rahane is a Test great, having played, won and even captained India in several famous outings over the years; however, after a poor run in the lead-up to the 2023 WTC Final, where he topped scored across both innings, Rahane lost his place to youngsters in the Test side. Also read | IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson still not over... In the IPL, Rahane featured for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for two seasons before this, winning the 2023 one before switching bases to KKR, for whom he played previously in 2022. Meanwhile, Iyer (bought for a whopping $2.3 million (INR 23.75 crore) played a handy role in helping KKR lift its third IPL last year and was the frontrunner for KKR’s captaincy but missed the bus on the experience ground. "IPL is quite an intense tournament," Mysore said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo. "Clearly, we think very well of Venkatesh Iyer, but at the same time, it [captaincy] is taxing on a youngster. We have seen lots of people having lots of challenges with it [handling captaincy] as they go forward. It takes a very steady hand, takes a lot of maturity and experience, which we felt Ajinkya brings with him,” he continued. Why Rahane? Last year, Shreyas Iyer was the KKR captain, and despite leading them to an IPL title, he chose against getting retained by them, thus entering the auction pool, where Punjab Kings (PBKS) purchased him for a whooping INR 26 crore. On the other side, Rahane went unsold on day one of the mega auction but was the first name on day two, with KKR bagging his service for INR 1.5 crore. Mysore said for what Rahane brings to the table with that wealth of experience, he stands out to lead the team heading into the new season. Also read | 'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah "He has played 185 IPL games, 200 international games across formats," Mysore said. "He has led India, led Mumbai in domestic, he's led in IPL. And he has played from season one of IPL. All that is massive. There should be no surprise at all [on appointing Rahane as captain]. Mysore explains the various other factors that they considered while opting for Rahane. “Captaincy cannot be underestimated. This is going to be my 15th season, so I have seen a lot. It is not only about what you do on the field. There's a lot of [other] stuff when it comes to IPL, including dealing with media, and there will be expectations in terms of the captain. “At the same time, it is a new cycle, there is diversity in the team, if you have to be a successful captain, you have to invest in building relationships with everybody so that you know how to get the best out of everyone. And then there's preparatory stuff in terms of camps, bowlers' meetings, batters' meetings, interaction with coaches - that's a lot to take in. From that perspective, we are lucky we have got Ajinkya, who will be terrific for us. Not only as a captain, of which there's no doubt but also as a batsman. He has scored tons of runs,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: How KKR’s Venky Mysore found a captain in lost jewel Ajinkya Rahane

Everyone has been targeting Pakistan Cricket lately. After former coach Jason Gillespie slammed the current selector and head coach Aaqib Javed by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/aaqib-javed-is-a-clown-jason-gillespie-slams-pcb-coach-for-lying-after-pakistans-champions-trophy-exit-8821587" rel="dofollow">calling him a clown</a>, another ex-team coach, Mickey Arthur, joined the queue, bashing their cricket left, right and centre.
Pakistan hosted the recently concluded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a>, their first home ICC event in 29 years. They virtually exited the first round just six days into the tournament after losing to New Zealand and India before a washout against Bangladesh later confirmed their elimination from the home event. What&rsquo;s worse? Reports of fallouts within the team and the management began doing rounds on social media, with everyone pouncing on it to bash them.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pcb-slashes-75-of-players-match-fee-for-national-t20-cup-8847978" rel="dofollow">PCB slashes 75% of player's match fee for National T20 Cup</a>
Arthur, who coached Pakistan to its maiden Champions Trophy title in 2017 when they beat India in a one-sided final, said Pakistan is its own enemy, and they continue to shoot in its foot every time. Backing and praising Gillespie as a coach, who had to cut short his ties with the PCB just six months into his job, Arthur said,&nbsp;&ldquo;I love this quote, to be brutally honest. Jason Gillespie is a wonderful coach and wonderful man. Pakistan cricket just continues to shoot itself in the foot. It is its worst enemy.&rdquo;
Arthur explained how mismanagement within the board created insecurity among the players and the backroom staff and how disappointing it was for him to watch it unfold.&nbsp;
&ldquo;There are so many good players; they&rsquo;ve got the resources now; there's so much young talent. They have incredible skills. And yet, it's still so chaotic. It's really disappointing to see,&rdquo; he said in a chat with talkSPORT.&nbsp;
<h2>Arthur backs Gillespie</h2>
Following Pakistan&rsquo;s early exit from the tournament, head coach Javed said too many changes within the top management caused low morale that led to poor performances in such a high-stakes tournament.
In response, Gillespie called him a clown for bluntly lying to everyone. Gillespie accused Javed of doing everything (in his power) to remove Gary Kirsten and him from their positions (when they were the coaches) and take over that spot, which he eventually did.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-stands-for-the-indian-cricket-board-legendary-wi-bowler-andy-roberts-tears-apart-apex-body-8847730" rel="dofollow">'ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board': Legendary WI bowler Andy Roberts tears apart apex body</a>
Echoing the same lines, Arthur said Pakistan Cricket fails to take things forward despite having every resource.
&ldquo;They had got some really good coaches who could take them forward. But then that machine that works in Pakistan just keeps undermining, and agendas are driven in the media,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;It's a jungle out there, and I feel desperately sorry for Gary and Jason. There's no doubt in my mind that they were undermined&hellip; it's to the detriment of the players and ultimately to the detriment of Pakistan cricket.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Arthur explained how mismanagement within the board created insecurity among the players and how disappointing it was for him to watch it unfold.

Everyone has been targeting Pakistan Cricket lately. After former coach Jason Gillespie slammed the current selector and head coach Aaqib Javed by calling him a clown, another ex-team coach, Mickey Arthur, joined the queue, bashing their cricket left, right and centre. Pakistan hosted the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy 2025, their first home ICC event in 29 years. They virtually exited the first round just six days into the tournament after losing to New Zealand and India before a washout against Bangladesh later confirmed their elimination from the home event. What’s worse? Reports of fallouts within the team and the management began doing rounds on social media, with everyone pouncing on it to bash them. Also read | PCB slashes 75% of player's match fee for National T20 Cup Arthur, who coached Pakistan to its maiden Champions Trophy title in 2017 when they beat India in a one-sided final, said Pakistan is its own enemy, and they continue to shoot in its foot every time. Backing and praising Gillespie as a coach, who had to cut short his ties with the PCB just six months into his job, Arthur said, “I love this quote, to be brutally honest. Jason Gillespie is a wonderful coach and wonderful man. Pakistan cricket just continues to shoot itself in the foot. It is its worst enemy.” Arthur explained how mismanagement within the board created insecurity among the players and the backroom staff and how disappointing it was for him to watch it unfold. “There are so many good players; they’ve got the resources now; there's so much young talent. They have incredible skills. And yet, it's still so chaotic. It's really disappointing to see,” he said in a chat with talkSPORT. Arthur backs Gillespie Following Pakistan’s early exit from the tournament, head coach Javed said too many changes within the top management caused low morale that led to poor performances in such a high-stakes tournament. In response, Gillespie called him a clown for bluntly lying to everyone. Gillespie accused Javed of doing everything (in his power) to remove Gary Kirsten and him from their positions (when they were the coaches) and take over that spot, which he eventually did. Also read | 'ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board': Legendary WI bowler Andy Roberts tears apart apex body Echoing the same lines, Arthur said Pakistan Cricket fails to take things forward despite having every resource. “They had got some really good coaches who could take them forward. But then that machine that works in Pakistan just keeps undermining, and agendas are driven in the media,” he said. “It's a jungle out there, and I feel desperately sorry for Gary and Jason. There's no doubt in my mind that they were undermined… it's to the detriment of the players and ultimately to the detriment of Pakistan cricket.” (With inputs from agencies)

‘Pakistan Cricket continues to shoot itself in its foot,’ says former coach Micky Arthur

Bangladesh&rsquo;s veteran all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mahmudullah">Mahmudullah</a> has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable career spanning over 17 years. The 39-year-old made the announcement on social media, expressing gratitude to his teammates, coaches, and fans who supported him throughout his journey.
&ldquo;I have decided to retire from international cricket,&rdquo; Mahmudullah posted on Facebook. &ldquo;I would like to thank all of my teammates, coaches &amp; especially my fans who have always supported me. A big thank you to my parents, my in-laws&mdash;especially my father-in-law&mdash;and most importantly, my brother Emdad Ullah, who has been my coach and mentor since childhood.&rdquo;
He also acknowledged his wife and children, calling them his 'support system through thick &amp; thin'. In a heartfelt message, he mentioned his son Raeid, who will miss seeing him in Bangladesh&rsquo;s red and green jersey.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pcb-slashes-75-of-players-match-fee-for-national-t20-cup-8847978">PCB slashes 75% of player's match fee for National T20 Cup</a>
Mahmudullah&rsquo;s decision was not entirely unexpected. He had previously informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that he would not seek a central contract beyond February 2025. His retirement follows that of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mushfiqur-rahim" rel="dofollow">Mushfiqur Rahim</a>, as both cricketers faced scrutiny over their places in the national team after Bangladesh&rsquo;s qualification for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
<h2>A stellar career</h2>
A stalwart of Bangladesh cricket, Mahmudullah was a dependable middle-order batter and a handy off-spinner. He played 239 ODIs, 50 Tests, and 141 T20Is, playing crucial roles in numerous victories. He remains Bangladesh&rsquo;s fourth-highest run-getter in ODIs, amassing 5,689 runs at an average of 36.46, including four centuries&mdash;all in ICC tournaments.
Mahmudullah made history as Bangladesh&rsquo;s only cricketer to score three centuries in ODI World Cups. His back-to-back tons in the 2015 edition against England and New Zealand helped Bangladesh secure a historic quarterfinal spot. He added another century in the 2017 Champions Trophy against New Zealand and a fourth in the 2023 ODI World Cup against South Africa, further solidifying his legacy on the grandest stage.
His international journey began in 2007 as a lower-order all-rounder. A turning point came in the 2011 World Cup when he played a crucial role in Bangladesh&rsquo;s famous win over England. Over the years, he transformed into a key middle-order batter, producing memorable knocks, including his 223-run stand with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shakib-al-hasan">Shakib Al Hasan</a> against New Zealand in the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Mahmudullah retired from Test cricket in 2021 and T20Is in 2024. His departure marks the end of Bangladesh&rsquo;s golden generation, which included Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mashrafe Mortaza.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: The 39-year-old made the announcement on social media, expressing gratitude to his teammates, coaches, and fans who supported him throughout his journey

Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable career spanning over 17 years. The 39-year-old made the announcement on social media, expressing gratitude to his teammates, coaches, and fans who supported him throughout his journey. “I have decided to retire from international cricket,” Mahmudullah posted on Facebook. “I would like to thank all of my teammates, coaches & especially my fans who have always supported me. A big thank you to my parents, my in-laws—especially my father-in-law—and most importantly, my brother Emdad Ullah, who has been my coach and mentor since childhood.” He also acknowledged his wife and children, calling them his 'support system through thick & thin'. In a heartfelt message, he mentioned his son Raeid, who will miss seeing him in Bangladesh’s red and green jersey. Also Read: PCB slashes 75% of player's match fee for National T20 Cup Mahmudullah’s decision was not entirely unexpected. He had previously informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that he would not seek a central contract beyond February 2025. His retirement follows that of Mushfiqur Rahim, as both cricketers faced scrutiny over their places in the national team after Bangladesh’s qualification for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. A stellar career A stalwart of Bangladesh cricket, Mahmudullah was a dependable middle-order batter and a handy off-spinner. He played 239 ODIs, 50 Tests, and 141 T20Is, playing crucial roles in numerous victories. He remains Bangladesh’s fourth-highest run-getter in ODIs, amassing 5,689 runs at an average of 36.46, including four centuries—all in ICC tournaments. Mahmudullah made history as Bangladesh’s only cricketer to score three centuries in ODI World Cups. His back-to-back tons in the 2015 edition against England and New Zealand helped Bangladesh secure a historic quarterfinal spot. He added another century in the 2017 Champions Trophy against New Zealand and a fourth in the 2023 ODI World Cup against South Africa, further solidifying his legacy on the grandest stage. His international journey began in 2007 as a lower-order all-rounder. A turning point came in the 2011 World Cup when he played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s famous win over England. Over the years, he transformed into a key middle-order batter, producing memorable knocks, including his 223-run stand with Shakib Al Hasan against New Zealand in the 2017 Champions Trophy. Mahmudullah retired from Test cricket in 2021 and T20Is in 2024. His departure marks the end of Bangladesh’s golden generation, which included Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mashrafe Mortaza. (With inputs from agencies)

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah announces retirement from international cricket

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pakistan-cricket-board">Pakistan Cricket Board</a> (PCB) has significantly reduced the match fees for players participating in the upcoming National T20 Cup, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Following the latest cut, players will now receive a match fee of PKR 10,000, marking a drastic 75% drop from the previous edition, where they earned PKR 40,000 per match. Reserve players will be paid PKR 5,000. This continues a downward trend, as players earned PKR 60,000 per match in 2022.
The decision comes despite Pakistan Cricket Board chairman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohsin-naqvi">Mohsin Naqvi</a>&rsquo;s earlier statements emphasising financial investment in cricket. Shortly after assuming office, Naqvi had stated that PCB funds should be spent on player development rather than being 'locked away'.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-england-open-badminton-championships-pv-sindhu-suffers-first-round-exit-rohan-kapoor-ruthvika-gadde-advance-8847904">All England Open Badminton Championships: PV Sindhu suffers first-round exit, Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Gadde advance</a>
"We'll try to make the best available for you. I have told the Pakistan Cricket Board our job is not to save money or keep it hoarded away, but to spend it on cricket, from grassroots right through to the national team. The money will be spent on your fitness, training and coaches rather than keeping it locked away," Naqvi had said days after his appointment as PCB chairman last year.
<h2 data-start="460" data-end="714">Funds to be used for stadium renovations</h2>
Pakistan Cricket Board has directed funds toward stadium renovations, hiring and releasing foreign coaches, and appointing five high-profile mentors&mdash;Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shoaib-malik">Shoaib Malik</a>&mdash;each earning PKR 5 million per month.
A Pakistan Cricket Board official told ESPNcricinfo that the fee reduction is not due to financial constraints but is based on the board&rsquo;s belief that players now have more earning opportunities with an expanded domestic calendar.
The National T20 Cup is set to begin on March 14, featuring 39 matches across Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan, with the final scheduled for March 27 in Faisalabad.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The National T20 Cup is set to begin on March 14, featuring 39 matches across Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan, with the final scheduled for March 27 in Faisalabad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has significantly reduced the match fees for players participating in the upcoming National T20 Cup, according to ESPNcricinfo. Following the latest cut, players will now receive a match fee of PKR 10,000, marking a drastic 75% drop from the previous edition, where they earned PKR 40,000 per match. Reserve players will be paid PKR 5,000. This continues a downward trend, as players earned PKR 60,000 per match in 2022. The decision comes despite Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s earlier statements emphasising financial investment in cricket. Shortly after assuming office, Naqvi had stated that PCB funds should be spent on player development rather than being 'locked away'. Also Read: All England Open Badminton Championships: PV Sindhu suffers first-round exit, Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Gadde advance "We'll try to make the best available for you. I have told the Pakistan Cricket Board our job is not to save money or keep it hoarded away, but to spend it on cricket, from grassroots right through to the national team. The money will be spent on your fitness, training and coaches rather than keeping it locked away," Naqvi had said days after his appointment as PCB chairman last year. Funds to be used for stadium renovations Pakistan Cricket Board has directed funds toward stadium renovations, hiring and releasing foreign coaches, and appointing five high-profile mentors—Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shoaib Malik—each earning PKR 5 million per month. A Pakistan Cricket Board official told ESPNcricinfo that the fee reduction is not due to financial constraints but is based on the board’s belief that players now have more earning opportunities with an expanded domestic calendar. The National T20 Cup is set to begin on March 14, featuring 39 matches across Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan, with the final scheduled for March 27 in Faisalabad. (With inputs from agencies)

PCB slashes 75% of player's match fee for National T20 Cup

Former West Indies cricket legend Sir Andy Roberts has openly slammed the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/international-cricket-council">International Cricket Council</a> (ICC) for allegedly favouring India, particularly during major tournaments like the recently-concluded Champions Trophy 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2024. Roberts expressed concerns over India's influence on ICC decisions, suggesting that the governing body often yields to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india" rel="dofollow">Board of Control for Cricket in India</a> (BCCI).
In a recent interview, Roberts said, "To me, the ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board. India dictates everything. If tomorrow, India says, 'Listen there should be no no-balls and wides,' take my word, the ICC will find a way to satisfy India."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/exclusive-wpl-2025-from-serving-tables-to-serving-yorkers-danielle-gibson-turns-dreams-into-reality-8847568">Exclusive | WPL 2025- From serving tables to serving yorkers: Danielle Gibson turns dreams into reality</a>
<h2 data-start="403" data-end="654">'How can a team not travel during a tournament?'</h2>
His comments come in the wake of India's victory in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> 2025, where the team played all their matches in Dubai. Originally scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan, the tournament adopted a hybrid model after the BCCI cited political tensions between India and Pakistan and refused to send the Indian team from travelling to Pakistan. This arrangement led to India playing exclusively in Dubai, while other teams had to travel between venues in Pakistan and Dubai. Roberts questioned this setup, stating, "At the Champions Trophy, India did not have to travel at all. How can a team not travel during a tournament?"
He further highlighted that such scheduling provided India with an undue advantage, not just in the Champions Trophy but also in previous tournaments. Roberts pointed out that during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/t20-world-cup">T20 World Cup</a> 2024, India was aware in advance of their semi-final venue, which he believes contributed to their success. He emphasised the need for a level playing field, asserting, "It is not fair, it's not cricket. There has to be a level playing field. I know a lot of money comes from India, but cricket ought not to be a one-country sport."
These statements have sparked discussions within the cricketing community about the ICC's decision-making processes and the extent of influence exerted by powerful cricket boards. Roberts' candid remarks shed light on the growing concerns regarding fairness and equity in international cricket tournaments.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Andy's comments come in the wake of India's win in the recently-concluded Champions Trophy 2025, where the Men in Blue played all their matches in Dubai.

Former West Indies cricket legend Sir Andy Roberts has openly slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allegedly favouring India, particularly during major tournaments like the recently-concluded Champions Trophy 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2024. Roberts expressed concerns over India's influence on ICC decisions, suggesting that the governing body often yields to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In a recent interview, Roberts said, "To me, the ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board. India dictates everything. If tomorrow, India says, 'Listen there should be no no-balls and wides,' take my word, the ICC will find a way to satisfy India." Also Read: Exclusive | WPL 2025- From serving tables to serving yorkers: Danielle Gibson turns dreams into reality 'How can a team not travel during a tournament?' His comments come in the wake of India's victory in the Champions Trophy 2025, where the team played all their matches in Dubai. Originally scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan, the tournament adopted a hybrid model after the BCCI cited political tensions between India and Pakistan and refused to send the Indian team from travelling to Pakistan. This arrangement led to India playing exclusively in Dubai, while other teams had to travel between venues in Pakistan and Dubai. Roberts questioned this setup, stating, "At the Champions Trophy, India did not have to travel at all. How can a team not travel during a tournament?" He further highlighted that such scheduling provided India with an undue advantage, not just in the Champions Trophy but also in previous tournaments. Roberts pointed out that during the T20 World Cup 2024, India was aware in advance of their semi-final venue, which he believes contributed to their success. He emphasised the need for a level playing field, asserting, "It is not fair, it's not cricket. There has to be a level playing field. I know a lot of money comes from India, but cricket ought not to be a one-country sport." These statements have sparked discussions within the cricketing community about the ICC's decision-making processes and the extent of influence exerted by powerful cricket boards. Roberts' candid remarks shed light on the growing concerns regarding fairness and equity in international cricket tournaments. (With inputs from agencies)

'ICC stands for the Indian Cricket Board': Legendary WI bowler Andy Roberts tears apart apex body

With a striking athletic build, piercing focus in her eyes, and an effortless confidence on the field, Danielle Gibson carries the aura of a natural competitor. Whether she&rsquo;s standing tall at the crease or charging in to bowl, there&rsquo;s an undeniable sense of purpose in the way she moves. But her journey to the grand stage of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/womens-premier-league">Women&rsquo;s Premier League</a> (WPL) wasn&rsquo;t always destined&mdash;it started in a much humbler place, waiting tables while figuring out her future.
&ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t say working as a waitress really shaped my approach to sports,&rdquo; Danielle recalls, a thoughtful smile crossing her face. &ldquo;Back then, I was a lot younger, and I knew I needed to earn some money. It was just a little weekend job around school&mdash;a hobby, really, while I was figuring things out. I didn&rsquo;t particularly enjoy it, but it was necessary at the time. I was just pleased that I could start focusing on cricket sooner rather than later.&rdquo;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/mi-w-vs-gg-w-free-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-wpl-2025-eliminator-mumbai-indians-vs-gujarat-giants-live-online-tv-and-app-8845393">MI-W vs GG-W Free Live Streaming | When and where to watch WPL 2025 Eliminator Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants live online</a>
Now, as a key player for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-giants">Gujarat Giants</a>, Danielle is embracing every moment of this incredible experience.&nbsp;&ldquo;Playing in the WPL with Gujarat Giants has been fantastic. I&rsquo;ve absolutely loved being a part of this team. We&rsquo;ve got a great group of girls, an amazing coaching staff, and our performances have been strong. I&rsquo;m really excited to watch the game tomorrow and see how we go.&rdquo;
Adjusting to a new team in a different country can be daunting, but she has taken it in stride. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;ve adapted pretty well to the team dynamics. I&rsquo;m getting along with the domestic players, and I already knew some of the overseas players, so it&rsquo;s been nice to reconnect. It&rsquo;s also been great getting to know Ashleigh Gardner and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/phoebe-litchfield" rel="dofollow">Phoebe Litchfield</a>. Plus, India is such a cool country to visit. Before this, I had only ever been to Mumbai, so it&rsquo;s been exciting to explore new places.&rdquo;
<h2 data-start="1622" data-end="1719">'I want to make my debut in 50-over format'&nbsp;</h2>
As an all-rounder, Danielle knows her role is to contribute in every way possible.&nbsp;&ldquo;I just want to help out with everything&mdash;bowl some overs, take wickets, score some runs, and be as effective as possible in the field.&rdquo;
But her ambitions don&rsquo;t stop there. With an international season on the horizon, she has her eyes set on a bigger goal.&nbsp;&ldquo;My personal goal for this season and beyond is to make my debut in the 50-over format for England. That&rsquo;s the next big step. After this, I&rsquo;m heading back to Sydney for some A-tour matches, which will be a great experience.&rdquo;
For young cricketers looking to follow in her footsteps, her advice is simple yet meaningful.&nbsp;&ldquo;Just keep having fun with it. Enjoy the game, play as many sports as you can because everything helps in the long run, and never be afraid to ask questions.&rdquo;
At the start of the WPL, Gujarat Giants were considered underdogs&mdash;few believed they would perform as well as they have. But their grit and teamwork have proven the doubters wrong.
&ldquo;I think our mindset has been key&mdash;we know partnerships are crucial, whether in a run chase or setting a target. Someone always needs to step up, and we&rsquo;ve all embraced that responsibility. With the ball, it&rsquo;s about everyone chipping in and taking as many wickets as possible. That&rsquo;s been our approach, and it&rsquo;s worked for us," she signed off with cheerfully.
And as she continues to chase her dreams, one thing is certain&mdash;this is only the beginning.

Cricket, Sports: Danielle's journey to the grand stage of the WPL wasn’t always destined—it started in a much humbler place, waiting tables while figuring out her future

With a striking athletic build, piercing focus in her eyes, and an effortless confidence on the field, Danielle Gibson carries the aura of a natural competitor. Whether she’s standing tall at the crease or charging in to bowl, there’s an undeniable sense of purpose in the way she moves. But her journey to the grand stage of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) wasn’t always destined—it started in a much humbler place, waiting tables while figuring out her future. “I wouldn’t say working as a waitress really shaped my approach to sports,” Danielle recalls, a thoughtful smile crossing her face. “Back then, I was a lot younger, and I knew I needed to earn some money. It was just a little weekend job around school—a hobby, really, while I was figuring things out. I didn’t particularly enjoy it, but it was necessary at the time. I was just pleased that I could start focusing on cricket sooner rather than later.” Also Read: MI-W vs GG-W Free Live Streaming | When and where to watch WPL 2025 Eliminator Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants live online Now, as a key player for the Gujarat Giants, Danielle is embracing every moment of this incredible experience. “Playing in the WPL with Gujarat Giants has been fantastic. I’ve absolutely loved being a part of this team. We’ve got a great group of girls, an amazing coaching staff, and our performances have been strong. I’m really excited to watch the game tomorrow and see how we go.” Adjusting to a new team in a different country can be daunting, but she has taken it in stride. “I think I’ve adapted pretty well to the team dynamics. I’m getting along with the domestic players, and I already knew some of the overseas players, so it’s been nice to reconnect. It’s also been great getting to know Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield. Plus, India is such a cool country to visit. Before this, I had only ever been to Mumbai, so it’s been exciting to explore new places.” 'I want to make my debut in 50-over format' As an all-rounder, Danielle knows her role is to contribute in every way possible. “I just want to help out with everything—bowl some overs, take wickets, score some runs, and be as effective as possible in the field.” But her ambitions don’t stop there. With an international season on the horizon, she has her eyes set on a bigger goal. “My personal goal for this season and beyond is to make my debut in the 50-over format for England. That’s the next big step. After this, I’m heading back to Sydney for some A-tour matches, which will be a great experience.” For young cricketers looking to follow in her footsteps, her advice is simple yet meaningful. “Just keep having fun with it. Enjoy the game, play as many sports as you can because everything helps in the long run, and never be afraid to ask questions.” At the start of the WPL, Gujarat Giants were considered underdogs—few believed they would perform as well as they have. But their grit and teamwork have proven the doubters wrong. “I think our mindset has been key—we know partnerships are crucial, whether in a run chase or setting a target. Someone always needs to step up, and we’ve all embraced that responsibility. With the ball, it’s about everyone chipping in and taking as many wickets as possible. That’s been our approach, and it’s worked for us," she signed off with cheerfully. And as she continues to chase her dreams, one thing is certain—this is only the beginning.

Exclusive | WPL 2025 - From serving tables to delivering yorkers: Danielle Gibson turns dreams into reality

Rajasthan Royals captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sanju-samson">Sanju Samson</a> opened up about one of the toughest challenges he has faced&mdash;parting ways with explosive opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler">Jos Buttler</a> ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025.
Buttler, who joined the Royals in 2018, was a cornerstone of their batting lineup, scoring 3,098 runs in 83 matches at an impressive average of 41.84. However, ahead of the mega auction, Rajasthan decided against retaining the English star, opting to keep six other players instead. As a result, Buttler entered the auction pool, where Gujarat Titans secured him for over $1 million (₹15.75 crore).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/wpl-2025-indian-batters-fall-behind-foreigners-at-own-home-in-terms-of-scoring-runs-numbers-dont-lie-8847098">WPL 2025: Indian batters fail to score as many runs as foreigners at own home? Numbers don't lie</a>
Speaking to digital broadcaster Star, Samson expressed his deep bond with Buttler, whom he considers one of his closest friends. &ldquo;IPL is not just about leading a team at the highest level; it also helps you build lifelong friendships. Jos and I shared a strong batting partnership over seven years, and letting him go has been one of the most difficult things for me,&rdquo; Samson admitted.
<h2 data-start="580" data-end="950">'He was like an elder brother to me'</h2>
The Rajasthan skipper revealed that he still struggles to accept Buttler's departure, even discussing it with him over dinner during England&rsquo;s recent tour of India. &ldquo;He was like an elder brother to me. When I became captain, he was my vice-captain and played a crucial role in helping me lead the team. During the England series, I told him I still wasn&rsquo;t over it.&rdquo;
Samson also shared his thoughts on the IPL retention rules, saying that while they serve a purpose, they also break long-standing relationships. &ldquo;If I could change one thing about the IPL, it would be the rule of releasing players. While it has its positives, it also means losing connections built over years. It has been tough for me, the franchise, the owners, the coaches&mdash;everyone at RR. Jos was family to us,&rdquo; he added.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals</a> will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Buttler joined the Royals in 2018 and left in 2024 after the franchise decided against retaining him before the mega-auction last year

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson opened up about one of the toughest challenges he has faced—parting ways with explosive opener Jos Buttler ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Buttler, who joined the Royals in 2018, was a cornerstone of their batting lineup, scoring 3,098 runs in 83 matches at an impressive average of 41.84. However, ahead of the mega auction, Rajasthan decided against retaining the English star, opting to keep six other players instead. As a result, Buttler entered the auction pool, where Gujarat Titans secured him for over $1 million (₹15.75 crore). Also Read: WPL 2025: Indian batters fail to score as many runs as foreigners at own home? Numbers don't lie Speaking to digital broadcaster Star, Samson expressed his deep bond with Buttler, whom he considers one of his closest friends. “IPL is not just about leading a team at the highest level; it also helps you build lifelong friendships. Jos and I shared a strong batting partnership over seven years, and letting him go has been one of the most difficult things for me,” Samson admitted. 'He was like an elder brother to me' The Rajasthan skipper revealed that he still struggles to accept Buttler's departure, even discussing it with him over dinner during England’s recent tour of India. “He was like an elder brother to me. When I became captain, he was my vice-captain and played a crucial role in helping me lead the team. During the England series, I told him I still wasn’t over it.” Samson also shared his thoughts on the IPL retention rules, saying that while they serve a purpose, they also break long-standing relationships. “If I could change one thing about the IPL, it would be the rule of releasing players. While it has its positives, it also means losing connections built over years. It has been tough for me, the franchise, the owners, the coaches—everyone at RR. Jos was family to us,” he added. Rajasthan Royals will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson still not over...

The Women's Premier League (WPL) season 3 regular season is over with Delhi Capitals making it to the finals directly while Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants set to play an eliminator. Now that the Indian women cricketers have had enough exposure of playing in big games, the question arises - how did the Indian batters perform in comparison to their foreign counterparts?
In simple words, the Indian batters are still behind their foreign counterparts despite playing in home conditions.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/give-him-a-break-ex-mi-bowling-coach-says-another-injury-in-the-same-spot-could-be-career-ender-for-bumrah-8845841">'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah</a>
In 20 matches played, the Indians have managed to outscore the foreign batters only eight times, while in one match the scores were equal. Rest of 11 times, the foreigners out-batted the home players. Have a look at the chart below to understand this:
<figure class="image"><img alt="Chart" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/753x564/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/03/12/8qTXFO0W9ENQ2WdW8Msp.JPG" style="width: 753px;">
<figcaption>Run scored comparison between Indian and foreign batters in WPL 2025</figcaption>
</figure>
Talking about overall runs, the Indians have managed to score a total of 2,670 runs in 20 games, while the foreigners scored 3,358 runs&mdash;nearly 700 runs more.&nbsp;
<figure class="image"><img alt="Chart" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/777x538/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/03/12/YX83xeT9ehCA6prLGNjz.JPG" style="width: 777px;">
<figcaption>Foreign batters have scored 700 more runs than Indians in WPL 2025</figcaption>
</figure>
On average, the Indian batters scored 133.5 runs in a match, while the foreigners scored 167.9&mdash;nearly 35 runs more per match.
The highest Indian players scored in a match were 230 runs in match 19 between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, while the lowest they scored were 65 in match 16 between WP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians. In the same matches, the foreigners scored 109 runs and 220 runs, respectively.
As for the foreign batters, the highest they scored in a match were 296 in match 18 between UP Warriorz and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the lowest were 109 in match 19.
Talking about runs scored at each position from opening to number seven, the foreigners again edge past the home batters. Have a look at the chart below to see the runs scored on each of the top seven positions:
<figure class="image"><img alt="Runs at each number" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/03/12/yor8EFIdx3yaO637iqN3.png" style="width: 1280px;">
<figcaption>Runs at each position by Indians and foreigners</figcaption>
</figure>
The most runs scored by Indian batters are at number four&mdash;430 runs at an average of 21&mdash;while the lowest runs came at number six&mdash;205 at an average of 15.7&mdash;all across 20 games.
At the same position, the foreigners scored 430 at an average of 28 (number 4) and 164 at an average of 11 (number 6). As for the foreigners' highest runs, they scored 919 runs at an average of 65 at number three, while the Indians managed less than half: 412 runs at an average of 24.23.
The foreign batters scored lowest at number 7&mdash;137 at an average of 195, while the Indians scored 244 runs at an average of 17 at the same position.
The numbers clearly show that the Indian batters still have a long way to go before they can match up their foreign counterparts in the WPL.
&nbsp;

In 20 WPL matches, the Indians have managed to outscore the foreign batters only eight times while in one match the scores were equal. Rest 11 times, the foreigners out-batted the home players.  Cricket Sports

The Women's Premier League (WPL) season 3 regular season is over with Delhi Capitals making it to the finals directly while Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants set to play an eliminator. Now that the Indian women cricketers have had enough exposure of playing in big games, the question arises - how did the Indian batters perform in comparison to their foreign counterparts? In simple words, the Indian batters are still behind their foreign counterparts despite playing in home conditions. Also Read: 'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah In 20 matches played, the Indians have managed to outscore the foreign batters only eight times, while in one match the scores were equal. Rest of 11 times, the foreigners out-batted the home players. Have a look at the chart below to understand this: Run scored comparison between Indian and foreign batters in WPL 2025 Talking about overall runs, the Indians have managed to score a total of 2,670 runs in 20 games, while the foreigners scored 3,358 runs—nearly 700 runs more. Foreign batters have scored 700 more runs than Indians in WPL 2025 On average, the Indian batters scored 133.5 runs in a match, while the foreigners scored 167.9—nearly 35 runs more per match. The highest Indian players scored in a match were 230 runs in match 19 between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, while the lowest they scored were 65 in match 16 between WP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians. In the same matches, the foreigners scored 109 runs and 220 runs, respectively. As for the foreign batters, the highest they scored in a match were 296 in match 18 between UP Warriorz and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the lowest were 109 in match 19. Talking about runs scored at each position from opening to number seven, the foreigners again edge past the home batters. Have a look at the chart below to see the runs scored on each of the top seven positions: Runs at each position by Indians and foreigners The most runs scored by Indian batters are at number four—430 runs at an average of 21—while the lowest runs came at number six—205 at an average of 15.7—all across 20 games. At the same position, the foreigners scored 430 at an average of 28 (number 4) and 164 at an average of 11 (number 6). As for the foreigners' highest runs, they scored 919 runs at an average of 65 at number three, while the Indians managed less than half: 412 runs at an average of 24.23. The foreign batters scored lowest at number 7—137 at an average of 195, while the Indians scored 244 runs at an average of 17 at the same position. The numbers clearly show that the Indian batters still have a long way to go before they can match up their foreign counterparts in the WPL.

EXCLUSIVE | '688 RUNS': In WPL 2025, Indian women outscored by foreigners at own home? Numbers don’t lie

India ODI and Test skipper Rohit Sharma says that he's keeping his options open for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The statement comes after he categorically denied retiring from the ODI format following India's Champions Trophy title win on March 9.&nbsp;
"It's very hard to say that right now. But I'm keeping all my options open. Right now I'm playing really well. I'm enjoying everything that I'm doing with this team and the team is enjoying my company as well. I can't say anything about 2027, it's too far. As long as I'm enjoying, I will continue to play," said Rohit as reported by ESPNCricinfo via ICC.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/give-him-a-break-ex-mi-bowling-coach-says-another-injury-in-the-same-spot-could-be-career-ender-for-bumrah-8845841">'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah</a>
After India had won T20 World Cup 2024 last year, both Rohit and Virat Kohli along with Ravindra Jadeja had announced their retirement from the format. This time though, the duo have decided to keep going on. Rohit, meanwhile, was under sharp scrutiny following his poor form on the Test tour of Australia prior to the Champions Trophy 2025.
Under Rohit, India reached World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 Final, ODI World Cup 2023 Final, T20 World Cup 2024 Final and Champions Trophy 2025 Final as well. He is the first captain in the world to reach the finals of all the ICC tournaments.
As for the wins, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy - they, however, lost the WTC and ODI WC Finals to Australia.
As Rohit has made it clear that he won't be retiring anytime soon, India now can focus on future without worrying too much about the ODI squad. The ICC tournament is T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in 2026 with India's squad more or less set under Suryakumar Yadav.
After the T20 World Cup in 2026, India would then shift its focus on the ODI World Cup 2027 - which as Rohit rightly said is 'too far.'

Under Rohit, India reached the final of WTC 2023 Final, ODI World Cup 2023 Final, T20 World Cup 2024 Final and Champions Trophy 2025 Final as well.  Cricket Sports

India ODI and Test skipper Rohit Sharma says that he's keeping his options open for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The statement comes after he categorically denied retiring from the ODI format following India's Champions Trophy title win on March 9. "It's very hard to say that right now. But I'm keeping all my options open. Right now I'm playing really well. I'm enjoying everything that I'm doing with this team and the team is enjoying my company as well. I can't say anything about 2027, it's too far. As long as I'm enjoying, I will continue to play," said Rohit as reported by ESPNCricinfo via ICC. Also Read: 'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah After India had won T20 World Cup 2024 last year, both Rohit and Virat Kohli along with Ravindra Jadeja had announced their retirement from the format. This time though, the duo have decided to keep going on. Rohit, meanwhile, was under sharp scrutiny following his poor form on the Test tour of Australia prior to the Champions Trophy 2025. Under Rohit, India reached World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 Final, ODI World Cup 2023 Final, T20 World Cup 2024 Final and Champions Trophy 2025 Final as well. He is the first captain in the world to reach the finals of all the ICC tournaments. As for the wins, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy - they, however, lost the WTC and ODI WC Finals to Australia. As Rohit has made it clear that he won't be retiring anytime soon, India now can focus on future without worrying too much about the ODI squad. The ICC tournament is T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in 2026 with India's squad more or less set under Suryakumar Yadav. After the T20 World Cup in 2026, India would then shift its focus on the ODI World Cup 2027 - which as Rohit rightly said is 'too far.'

'It's too far': India skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on playing 2027 ODI World Cup

Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond feels that an injury around the same area on the back could potentially be a 'career-ender' for India pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Bond's remarks come after Bumrah was excluded from India's Champions Trophy squad and hasn't played since picking up a back injury in the Sydney Test against Australia in January earlier this year.
"When he went off for scans, it was at Sydney, there was some messaging coming up around that he had sprains and stuff like that," Bond told ESPNcricinfo in a chat. "I worried that it wasn't going to be a sprain, it might be a bony injury around that area [the back]. I thought he may struggle to make the Champions Trophy if it was."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/who-will-lead-delhi-capitals-in-ipl-2025-dc-ipl-skipper-kl-rahul-axar-patel-faf-du-plessis-8842771">KL Rahul or former RCB star - Who will lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025? Have a look at possible options</a>
Bond explained that it is the transition, especially from T20s to Test cricket, that takes a toll on a bowlers body. Bumrah had a back surgery in 2023 but he went on to play five Tests continuously in Australia which may have triggered the problem.&nbsp;
"Look, I think Booms will be fine, but it's just that [workload] management [matters]," Bond said.
"Looking at the tours and the schedule going forward, where are the opportunities to give him a break, but really where are the danger periods? And often it is that the [transition from] IPL to the Test championship will be a risk.
"They may say, look, it's four Test matches in total. Or three. If we can get him through the English summer and he's fit, we can probably then go with some confidence that we can carry him across the rest of the formats. So that's hard because he is your best bowler, but if he has another injury in the same spot, that could be a career-ender, potentially, because I'm not sure you can have surgery on that spot again," added Bond.
With IPL set to start in less than two weeks and England tour thereafter, it'll be interesting to see how Bumrah is managed by the BCCI.

Bumrah was excluded from India's Champions Trophy squad and hasn't played since picking up a back injury in Sydney Test against Australia in January earlier this year.

Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond feels that an injury around the same area on the back could potentially be a 'career-ender' for India pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Bond's remarks come after Bumrah was excluded from India's Champions Trophy squad and hasn't played since picking up a back injury in the Sydney Test against Australia in January earlier this year. "When he went off for scans, it was at Sydney, there was some messaging coming up around that he had sprains and stuff like that," Bond told ESPNcricinfo in a chat. "I worried that it wasn't going to be a sprain, it might be a bony injury around that area [the back]. I thought he may struggle to make the Champions Trophy if it was." Also Read: KL Rahul or former RCB star - Who will lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025? Have a look at possible options Bond explained that it is the transition, especially from T20s to Test cricket, that takes a toll on a bowlers body. Bumrah had a back surgery in 2023 but he went on to play five Tests continuously in Australia which may have triggered the problem. "Look, I think Booms will be fine, but it's just that [workload] management [matters]," Bond said. "Looking at the tours and the schedule going forward, where are the opportunities to give him a break, but really where are the danger periods? And often it is that the [transition from] IPL to the Test championship will be a risk. "They may say, look, it's four Test matches in total. Or three. If we can get him through the English summer and he's fit, we can probably then go with some confidence that we can carry him across the rest of the formats. So that's hard because he is your best bowler, but if he has another injury in the same spot, that could be a career-ender, potentially, because I'm not sure you can have surgery on that spot again," added Bond. With IPL set to start in less than two weeks and England tour thereafter, it'll be interesting to see how Bumrah is managed by the BCCI.

'Give him a break': Ex-MI bowling coach says 'another injury in the same spot could be career-ender' for Bumrah

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed Rohit Sharma to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup after leading India to win in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025. On Sunday, India beat New Zealand in the final of the Champions Trophy to lift a record third title in the coveted ICC tournament. Rohit was instrumental in the final as he scored 76 off 83, helping India clinch the Champions Trophy after 12 years.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Rohit is backed by Ricky Ponting</h2>
"When you start getting to that point of your career, everyone's waiting for you to retire. And I don't know why, when you can still play as well as he's played (in the Champions Trophy final), I think he was just trying to put those questions to bed once and for all and say, 'no, I'm still playing well enough. I love playing in this team. I love leading this team.'
"And I think, the fact that he said that, to me, it means that he must have that goal in mind of playing in the next (50-over) World Cup (in 2027)," said Ponting while speaking in the latest edition of the ICC Review.
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The Indian team has been in sensational form in recent times, reaching four ICC finals under Rohit Sharma&rsquo;s captaincy. The Men in Blue lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia, while the same opposition got the better of them in the World Test Championship (WTC) in the same year. Adding to the impressive showing, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean Islands in June before lifting the Champions Trophy on Sunday.
By the time the 2027 ODI World Cup kicks off in South Africa, Rohit will be 40, meaning it is highly unlikely that he could be part of the Indian team. However, for now, Rohit has ruled out any possibility of retirement, as stated by Rohit during his post-match press conference on Sunday.

Sports, Cricket: Ricky Ponting has backed Rohit Sharma to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup after leading India to win in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed Rohit Sharma to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup after leading India to win in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025. On Sunday, India beat New Zealand in the final of the Champions Trophy to lift a record third title in the coveted ICC tournament. Rohit was instrumental in the final as he scored 76 off 83, helping India clinch the Champions Trophy after 12 years. Rohit is backed by Ricky Ponting "When you start getting to that point of your career, everyone's waiting for you to retire. And I don't know why, when you can still play as well as he's played (in the Champions Trophy final), I think he was just trying to put those questions to bed once and for all and say, 'no, I'm still playing well enough. I love playing in this team. I love leading this team.' "And I think, the fact that he said that, to me, it means that he must have that goal in mind of playing in the next (50-over) World Cup (in 2027)," said Ponting while speaking in the latest edition of the ICC Review. ALSO READ | Man Utd new stadium plans: Where will the Red Devils play as club sets sight on 'New Trafford'? Know More The Indian team has been in sensational form in recent times, reaching four ICC finals under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. The Men in Blue lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia, while the same opposition got the better of them in the World Test Championship (WTC) in the same year. Adding to the impressive showing, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean Islands in June before lifting the Champions Trophy on Sunday. By the time the 2027 ODI World Cup kicks off in South Africa, Rohit will be 40, meaning it is highly unlikely that he could be part of the Indian team. However, for now, Rohit has ruled out any possibility of retirement, as stated by Rohit during his post-match press conference on Sunday.

Ricky Ponting backs Rohit Sharma to feature in 2027 ODI World Cup, says 'he must have that goal'

MI-W vs GG-W WPL 2025 Eliminator Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue:&nbsp;Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants will fight for a place in the final of the Women's Premier League (WPL) as the two face at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (March 13). With Delhi Capitals already in the final, the winner of the contest will play in Sunday's summit clash. Ahead of the WPL 2025 Eliminator contest between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, here are all the details of the clash.&nbsp;
<h2 class="left">Where to watch the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match on TV?</h2>
The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will be telecast on Sports 18 Network in India.<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="left">Where to watch the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match Live Streaming online on OTT?</h2>
The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.
<h2 class="left">Which stadium will host the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match?</h2>
The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will be played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.&nbsp;
<h2 class="MsoNormal left">What time will the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match starts?</h2>
The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will start at 7:30 PM IST on Thursday (Mar 13) with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/kush-maini-becomes-third-indian-to-join-formula-1-lands-alpine-role-as-test-and-reserve-driver-8843222" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kush Maini becomes third Indian to join Formula 1, lands Alpine role as test and reserve driver</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">WPL 2025 Eliminator: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants Squads<o:p></o:p></h2>
Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Sajeevan Sajana, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque, Jintimani Kalita, Amandeep Kaur, Akshita Maheshwari
Gujarat Giants: Beth Mooney (wk), Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Deandra Dottin, Kashvee Gautam, Simran Shaikh, Phoebe Litchfield, Bharti Fulmali, Tanuja Kanwar, Meghna Singh, Priya Mishra, Laura Wolvaardt, Danielle Gibson, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Md Shakil, Prakashika Naik, Sayali Satghare, Dayalan Hemalatha

Sports, Cricket - MI-W vs GG-W Free Live Streaming: Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants will fight for a place in the final of the WPL as the two face at the Brabourne Stadium.

MI-W vs GG-W WPL 2025 Eliminator Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants will fight for a place in the final of the Women's Premier League (WPL) as the two face at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (March 13). With Delhi Capitals already in the final, the winner of the contest will play in Sunday's summit clash. Ahead of the WPL 2025 Eliminator contest between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, here are all the details of the clash. Where to watch the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match on TV? The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will be telecast on Sports 18 Network in India. Where to watch the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match Live Streaming online on OTT? The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Which stadium will host the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match? The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will be played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. What time will the Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match starts? The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 Eliminator match will start at 7:30 PM IST on Thursday (Mar 13) with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST. ALSO READ | Kush Maini becomes third Indian to join Formula 1, lands Alpine role as test and reserve driver WPL 2025 Eliminator: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants Squads Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Sajeevan Sajana, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque, Jintimani Kalita, Amandeep Kaur, Akshita Maheshwari Gujarat Giants: Beth Mooney (wk), Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Deandra Dottin, Kashvee Gautam, Simran Shaikh, Phoebe Litchfield, Bharti Fulmali, Tanuja Kanwar, Meghna Singh, Priya Mishra, Laura Wolvaardt, Danielle Gibson, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Md Shakil, Prakashika Naik, Sayali Satghare, Dayalan Hemalatha

MI-W vs GG-W Free Live Streaming | When and where to watch WPL 2025 Eliminator Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants live online

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru wrapped up their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/womens-premier-league">Women's Premier League</a> campaign on a positive note, defeating Mumbai Indians by 11 runs on Tuesday (March 11) and denying them a direct berth in the final.
This result secured Delhi Capitals&rsquo; place in the final on March 15, as they finished atop the table. MI, meanwhile, will face Gujarat Giants in the eliminator on March 13 at the same venue. DC, entering their third consecutive final, will aim to finally claim the elusive title.
Batting first, RCB posted a commanding 199/3, powered by skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/smriti-mandhana">Smriti Mandhana</a>&rsquo;s 53 off 37 balls. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ellyse-perry">Ellyse Perry</a> (49 off 38), Richa Ghosh (36 off 22), and Georgia Wareham (31 off 10) provided strong contributions to boost the total.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/alcaraz-powers-into-indian-wells-last-16-sabalenka-gauff-keys-advance-8844483">Alcaraz powers into Indian Wells last 16, Sabalenka, Gauff, Keys advance</a>
In response, MI fell short and ended at 188/9. Despite an explosive 35-ball 69 from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sajeevan Sajana&rsquo;s quickfire 23 off 12, MI couldn't cross the finish line. Perry played a crucial role, dismissing Sciver-Brunt and Sajana at key moments.
RCB&rsquo;s bowling attack was led by all-rounder Sneh Rana, who impressed with figures of 3/26 in four overs. Wareham (1/29) and Kim Garth (2/33) also contributed to RCB&rsquo;s successful defense of their total.
<h2>Smriti finds form</h2>
Earlier, RCB got off to a flying start as Mandhana and Sabbhineni Meghana put on 41 runs in quick succession. Meghana, who struck a quickfire 26 off 13 balls, entertained the Brabourne Stadium crowd with her attacking strokes before falling to Hayley Matthews.
Mandhana, who had struggled throughout the season, found form and took the attack to the MI bowlers. She smashed Shabnim Ismail for an early boundary and punished <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/amelia-kerr">Amelia Kerr</a> for 22 runs in a single over, including two massive sixes. She reached her half-century with a stylish boundary off left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia before being caught at long-off.
Perry anchored the innings after Mandhana&rsquo;s dismissal, while Ghosh and Wareham provided the late fireworks to propel RCB past 190.&nbsp; Among MI bowlers, Matthews (2/37) was the most successful, but their attack struggled to contain RCB&rsquo;s aggressive batting.
Despite being out of the title race, RCB ended their season on a high, while MI will now have to battle through the eliminator for a shot at the championship.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: MI will face Gujarat Giants in the eliminator on March 13 at the same venue. DC, entering their third consecutive final, will aim to finally claim elusive title

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru wrapped up their Women's Premier League campaign on a positive note, defeating Mumbai Indians by 11 runs on Tuesday (March 11) and denying them a direct berth in the final. This result secured Delhi Capitals’ place in the final on March 15, as they finished atop the table. MI, meanwhile, will face Gujarat Giants in the eliminator on March 13 at the same venue. DC, entering their third consecutive final, will aim to finally claim the elusive title. Batting first, RCB posted a commanding 199/3, powered by skipper Smriti Mandhana’s 53 off 37 balls. Ellyse Perry (49 off 38), Richa Ghosh (36 off 22), and Georgia Wareham (31 off 10) provided strong contributions to boost the total. Also Read: Alcaraz powers into Indian Wells last 16, Sabalenka, Gauff, Keys advance In response, MI fell short and ended at 188/9. Despite an explosive 35-ball 69 from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sajeevan Sajana’s quickfire 23 off 12, MI couldn't cross the finish line. Perry played a crucial role, dismissing Sciver-Brunt and Sajana at key moments. RCB’s bowling attack was led by all-rounder Sneh Rana, who impressed with figures of 3/26 in four overs. Wareham (1/29) and Kim Garth (2/33) also contributed to RCB’s successful defense of their total. Smriti finds form Earlier, RCB got off to a flying start as Mandhana and Sabbhineni Meghana put on 41 runs in quick succession. Meghana, who struck a quickfire 26 off 13 balls, entertained the Brabourne Stadium crowd with her attacking strokes before falling to Hayley Matthews. Mandhana, who had struggled throughout the season, found form and took the attack to the MI bowlers. She smashed Shabnim Ismail for an early boundary and punished Amelia Kerr for 22 runs in a single over, including two massive sixes. She reached her half-century with a stylish boundary off left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia before being caught at long-off. Perry anchored the innings after Mandhana’s dismissal, while Ghosh and Wareham provided the late fireworks to propel RCB past 190. Among MI bowlers, Matthews (2/37) was the most successful, but their attack struggled to contain RCB’s aggressive batting. Despite being out of the title race, RCB ended their season on a high, while MI will now have to battle through the eliminator for a shot at the championship. (With inputs from agencies)

WPL 2025: RCB deny MI direct entry into final with 11-run win; DC through to title clash

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pakistan-cricket-board" rel="dofollow">Pakistan Cricket Board</a> (PCB) is seeking a formal explanation from the International Cricket Council (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc">ICC</a>) regarding the absence of its representative from the closing ceremony of the recently-concluded Champions Trophy in Dubai.
India secured their third <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy</a> title on Sunday (March 9) with a four-wicket win over New Zealand. However, controversy arose when PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sumair Ahmed, who also served as the tournament director, was not invited on stage for the final presentation.
"We have lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, as this incident is completely unacceptable to us," a PCB official said on Tuesday (March 11).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/lords-braces-for-4-million-revenue-hit-after-india-fails-to-qualify-for-wtc-final-reports-8842874">Lord&rsquo;s braces for $5 million revenue hit after India fails to qualify for WTC final-Reports</a>
During the ceremony, BCCI President Roger Binny presented the white jackets to the Indian players, while ICC Chairman Jay Shah handed the trophy to captain Rohit Sharma and awarded medals to the winners. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket CEO Roger Twose were also present on stage.
"The explanations given for excluding our COO and tournament director make no sense. We are awaiting a formal clarification and an apology," the PCB official added.
Expressing frustration over the matter, the official called it a 'blatant disregard' for Pakistan's role as the host nation. He emphasised that the Pakistan Cricket Board had informed the ICC in advance about Sumair Ahmed's presence at the ceremony, and he had even interacted with ICC Chairman Jay Shah and BCCI officials after India's win.
"Claims that only CEOs, chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, or secretaries are invited to such ceremonies are illogical. We demand a public clarification and assurance that such biased treatment will not be repeated. Otherwise, we will escalate this matter to the board of governors," the official warned.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Controversy arose when PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed, who also served as the tournament director, was not invited on stage for the final presentation

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is seeking a formal explanation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the absence of its representative from the closing ceremony of the recently-concluded Champions Trophy in Dubai. India secured their third Champions Trophy title on Sunday (March 9) with a four-wicket win over New Zealand. However, controversy arose when PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sumair Ahmed, who also served as the tournament director, was not invited on stage for the final presentation. "We have lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, as this incident is completely unacceptable to us," a PCB official said on Tuesday (March 11). Also Read: Lord’s braces for $5 million revenue hit after India fails to qualify for WTC final-Reports During the ceremony, BCCI President Roger Binny presented the white jackets to the Indian players, while ICC Chairman Jay Shah handed the trophy to captain Rohit Sharma and awarded medals to the winners. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket CEO Roger Twose were also present on stage. "The explanations given for excluding our COO and tournament director make no sense. We are awaiting a formal clarification and an apology," the PCB official added. Expressing frustration over the matter, the official called it a 'blatant disregard' for Pakistan's role as the host nation. He emphasised that the Pakistan Cricket Board had informed the ICC in advance about Sumair Ahmed's presence at the ceremony, and he had even interacted with ICC Chairman Jay Shah and BCCI officials after India's win. "Claims that only CEOs, chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, or secretaries are invited to such ceremonies are illogical. We demand a public clarification and assurance that such biased treatment will not be repeated. Otherwise, we will escalate this matter to the board of governors," the official warned. (With inputs from agencies)

PCB files official complaint with ICC over closing ceremony snub

The final of the 2025 edition of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/world-test-championship" rel="dofollow">World Test Championship</a> (WTC) is set to take place at Lord&rsquo;s in London from June 11-15. In a historic first, the iconic stadium, often referred to as the 'Home of Cricket', will host the WTC final. Defending champions Australia will face WTC 2023-25 table-toppers South Africa in the summit clash. However, despite the significance of the event, Lord's is set to incur a massive revenue loss of nearly &pound;4 million after India failed to qualify for the final, as per reports.
<h2>Financial impact on Lord's</h2>
According to a report in The Times, event organisers had initially priced tickets at a premium rate, anticipating an overwhelming demand from Indian cricket fans. Given India's immense cricket following, ticket sales were expected to drive significant financial gains for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/marylebone-cricket-club" rel="dofollow">Marylebone Cricket Club</a> (MCC), which owns and operates Lord's. However, with India missing out on the final, the expected windfall has significantly diminished, highlighting the financial influence of Indian cricket across the globe.
The report further says, "Organisers had originally priced tickets at a premium rate, believing India fan demand would outstrip supply, but the absence of India has significantly curtailed the financial windfall expected by MCC."
<h2>India's unexpected exit</h2>
Team India, led by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>, was a favourite to qualify for the WTC final for the third consecutive time. However, a poor run of form derailed their campaign. Six defeats in their last eight matches, including a shocking 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand, significantly hurt their chances. Additionally, in the 2024-25 edition of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/border-gavaskar-trophy">Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a>, Pat Cummins' Australian side secured a dominant 3-1 series victory over India, sealing their fate in the WTC standings.
<h2>MCC's response</h2>
Recognising the reduced demand following India's absence, MCC opted to slash ticket prices to prioritise a fuller and more vibrant stadium rather than keeping premium rates and risking a sparsely populated venue.
"Anticipating India&rsquo;s participation, Lord&rsquo;s had originally priced tickets at premium rates, confident that the demand from Indian cricket supporters would outstrip supply. However, once it became clear that India would not feature in the final, MCC opted to lower ticket prices. The decision intended to prioritize a fuller, more vibrant stadium over the prospect of a sparsely populated ground with higher-priced seats," the report added.
The high ticket prices set by MCC had already drawn criticism in previous years, leading the club to review its pricing strategy. In response to this year&rsquo;s developments, ticket prices have been reduced by approximately &pound;50 per seat, now ranging between &pound;40 and &pound;90.
MCC members who had purchased tickets before the price revision have been refunded the difference, the report further said.
<h2>Other matches at Lord's in 2025</h2>
Apart from the WTC 2025 final, Lord's is also set to host the third Test of the India-England series in July. The match will be played from July 10-14 and is expected to see a resurgence in demand, given the massive Indian fanbase in the UK. This upcoming series provides a fresh opportunity for MCC to recover some of its anticipated losses.
India&rsquo;s absence from the WTC final has not only impacted fans but has also had significant financial consequences for one of cricket&rsquo;s most iconic venues. The incident highlights the immense economic weight Indian cricket carries in the global market. While MCC's flexible approach to ticket pricing aims to mitigate losses, the expected revenue drop remains substantial. As the cricketing world gears up for the WTC final, Lord&rsquo;s must now adapt to the changing dynamics of global cricket economics.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: In a historic first, the iconic stadium, will host the WTC final. Defending champions Australia will face WTC 2023-25 table-toppers South Africa in summit clash

The final of the 2025 edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) is set to take place at Lord’s in London from June 11-15. In a historic first, the iconic stadium, often referred to as the 'Home of Cricket', will host the WTC final. Defending champions Australia will face WTC 2023-25 table-toppers South Africa in the summit clash. However, despite the significance of the event, Lord's is set to incur a massive revenue loss of nearly £4 million after India failed to qualify for the final, as per reports. Financial impact on Lord's According to a report in The Times, event organisers had initially priced tickets at a premium rate, anticipating an overwhelming demand from Indian cricket fans. Given India's immense cricket following, ticket sales were expected to drive significant financial gains for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns and operates Lord's. However, with India missing out on the final, the expected windfall has significantly diminished, highlighting the financial influence of Indian cricket across the globe. The report further says, "Organisers had originally priced tickets at a premium rate, believing India fan demand would outstrip supply, but the absence of India has significantly curtailed the financial windfall expected by MCC." India's unexpected exit Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, was a favourite to qualify for the WTC final for the third consecutive time. However, a poor run of form derailed their campaign. Six defeats in their last eight matches, including a shocking 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand, significantly hurt their chances. Additionally, in the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pat Cummins' Australian side secured a dominant 3-1 series victory over India, sealing their fate in the WTC standings. MCC's response Recognising the reduced demand following India's absence, MCC opted to slash ticket prices to prioritise a fuller and more vibrant stadium rather than keeping premium rates and risking a sparsely populated venue. "Anticipating India’s participation, Lord’s had originally priced tickets at premium rates, confident that the demand from Indian cricket supporters would outstrip supply. However, once it became clear that India would not feature in the final, MCC opted to lower ticket prices. The decision intended to prioritize a fuller, more vibrant stadium over the prospect of a sparsely populated ground with higher-priced seats," the report added. The high ticket prices set by MCC had already drawn criticism in previous years, leading the club to review its pricing strategy. In response to this year’s developments, ticket prices have been reduced by approximately £50 per seat, now ranging between £40 and £90. MCC members who had purchased tickets before the price revision have been refunded the difference, the report further said. Other matches at Lord's in 2025 Apart from the WTC 2025 final, Lord's is also set to host the third Test of the India-England series in July. The match will be played from July 10-14 and is expected to see a resurgence in demand, given the massive Indian fanbase in the UK. This upcoming series provides a fresh opportunity for MCC to recover some of its anticipated losses. India’s absence from the WTC final has not only impacted fans but has also had significant financial consequences for one of cricket’s most iconic venues. The incident highlights the immense economic weight Indian cricket carries in the global market. While MCC's flexible approach to ticket pricing aims to mitigate losses, the expected revenue drop remains substantial. As the cricketing world gears up for the WTC final, Lord’s must now adapt to the changing dynamics of global cricket economics. (With inputs from agencies)

Lord’s braces for $5 million revenue hit after India fails to qualify for WTC final: Reports

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) less than two weeks away, the Delhi Capitals (DC) are yet to announce their captain for the upcoming season. The rest of the nine franchises have already announced the skipper for IPL 2025, and a decision from DC is expected soon.
It was Rishabh Pant who led the side last season but he will now lead Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after being traded in the IPL 2025 auction. DC has multiple options for who can lead the team. Let's have a look at who can lead DC in IPL 2025:
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/england-australia-to-play-pink-ball-game-at-mcg-in-2027-to-celebrate-150th-anniversary-of-test-cricket-8842443">England, Australia to play pink-ball game at MCG in 2027 to celebrate 150th anniversary of Test cricket</a>
KL Rahul - The wicketkeeper-batter was bought by DC from LSG in what can be touted as the like-for-like replacement for Rishabh Pant. Rahul has experience of leading an IPL side with LSG and Punjab Kings as well. Talking about his captaincy record, Rahul has led in 64 IPL games. He has 31 wins and 31 losses to his name, with two games being tied.
Axar Patel - The all-rounder could be a surprise pick by Delhi to lead the team. He has been associated with the team since 2019 and had led them in one off game in the 2024 season. Patel, however, lost the only game he captained the side in.
Faf du Plessis - The former Protea has enough experience of leading a side in international cricket as well as the IPL. He was the skipper of Royal Challengers Bengaluru until being traded to DC for the upcoming season. He has led in 42 IPL games and managed to win 21 of them with 21 losses as well.
DC, which have never won an IPL title, finished as runners-up in their best ever performance under Shreyas Iyer in the 2021 season.
Ahead of the upcoming season, they were also dealt a blow when England batter Harry Brook opted out for the second consecutive season.

Delhi Capitals, which have never won an IPL title, finished as runners-up in their best ever performance under Shreyas Iyer in 2021 IPL season. Cricket Sports

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) less than two weeks away, the Delhi Capitals (DC) are yet to announce their captain for the upcoming season. The rest of the nine franchises have already announced the skipper for IPL 2025, and a decision from DC is expected soon. It was Rishabh Pant who led the side last season but he will now lead Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after being traded in the IPL 2025 auction. DC has multiple options for who can lead the team. Let's have a look at who can lead DC in IPL 2025: Also Read: England, Australia to play pink-ball game at MCG in 2027 to celebrate 150th anniversary of Test cricket KL Rahul - The wicketkeeper-batter was bought by DC from LSG in what can be touted as the like-for-like replacement for Rishabh Pant. Rahul has experience of leading an IPL side with LSG and Punjab Kings as well. Talking about his captaincy record, Rahul has led in 64 IPL games. He has 31 wins and 31 losses to his name, with two games being tied. Axar Patel - The all-rounder could be a surprise pick by Delhi to lead the team. He has been associated with the team since 2019 and had led them in one off game in the 2024 season. Patel, however, lost the only game he captained the side in. Faf du Plessis - The former Protea has enough experience of leading a side in international cricket as well as the IPL. He was the skipper of Royal Challengers Bengaluru until being traded to DC for the upcoming season. He has led in 42 IPL games and managed to win 21 of them with 21 losses as well. DC, which have never won an IPL title, finished as runners-up in their best ever performance under Shreyas Iyer in the 2021 season. Ahead of the upcoming season, they were also dealt a blow when England batter Harry Brook opted out for the second consecutive season.

KL Rahul or former RCB star - Who will lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025? Have a look at possible options

Australia and England are set to play one off Test to mark the 150th anniversary of the first ever red-ball match. The 150th anniversary match will be played from March 11-15, 2027 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia. The two teams had played the first-ever recorded Test in 1877. England and Australia are considered two of the biggest rivals in cricket history and also play one of the most iconic Test series - the Ashes.
"The 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG will be one of the great cricket events and playing under lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate both our game's rich heritage and Test cricket's modern evolution," said New CA chief executive Todd Greenberg.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/23-wins-of-24-icc-tournament-matches-india-emulate-great-west-indies-of-late-70s-and-dominant-australia-of-2000s-with-champions-trophy-win-8841657">'23 wins in 24 matches': India emulate great West Indies of late 70s and dominant Australia of 2000s with Champions Trophy win</a>
"It will also help ensure more people are able to attend and watch what will be a fantastic occasion. The Centenary Test created many iconic performances including David Hookes' five consecutive boundaries off Tony Greig, Rick McCosker batting with a broken jaw and Derek Randall's defiant century, and I'm sure the 150th Test will create its own lifelong memories," he added.
The 150th anniversary Test will be played in day-night format - the first such instance at the MCG. The decision to play the game with pink ball has been taken by keeping the school and work year in mind as well as accessibility of the game to the UK viewers on TV. The two teams will also be playing the five-Test Ashes from November later this year to January next year.&nbsp;
The one-off Test falls amid a very busy scheduled for Australia men's team in 2027. They play New Zealand at home in four Test from December 2026-January 2027 before travelling to India for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Jan-Feb 2027.
The Aussies will then take part in the one-off Test before heading to India again for the IPL 2027 which has a tentative start of March 14.

The one-off Test falls amid a very busy scheduled for Australia men's team in 2027. They play NZ at home in four Test from Dec 2026-Jan 2027 before travelling to India for BGT in Jan-Feb 2027. Cricket Sports

Australia and England are set to play one off Test to mark the 150th anniversary of the first ever red-ball match. The 150th anniversary match will be played from March 11-15, 2027 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia. The two teams had played the first-ever recorded Test in 1877. England and Australia are considered two of the biggest rivals in cricket history and also play one of the most iconic Test series - the Ashes. "The 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG will be one of the great cricket events and playing under lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate both our game's rich heritage and Test cricket's modern evolution," said New CA chief executive Todd Greenberg. Also Read: '23 wins in 24 matches': India emulate great West Indies of late 70s and dominant Australia of 2000s with Champions Trophy win "It will also help ensure more people are able to attend and watch what will be a fantastic occasion. The Centenary Test created many iconic performances including David Hookes' five consecutive boundaries off Tony Greig, Rick McCosker batting with a broken jaw and Derek Randall's defiant century, and I'm sure the 150th Test will create its own lifelong memories," he added. The 150th anniversary Test will be played in day-night format - the first such instance at the MCG. The decision to play the game with pink ball has been taken by keeping the school and work year in mind as well as accessibility of the game to the UK viewers on TV. The two teams will also be playing the five-Test Ashes from November later this year to January next year. The one-off Test falls amid a very busy scheduled for Australia men's team in 2027. They play New Zealand at home in four Test from December 2026-January 2027 before travelling to India for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Jan-Feb 2027. The Aussies will then take part in the one-off Test before heading to India again for the IPL 2027 which has a tentative start of March 14.

England, Australia to play pink-ball game at MCG in 2027 to celebrate 150th anniversary of Test cricket

Former India spinner Ravi Ashwin has shown complete disagreement with the choice of Player of the Tournament in the recently-concluded Champions Trophy 2025. Runner-ups New Zealand player Rachin Ravindra was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for scoring most runs - 263 in four matches.
Ashwin, however, wanted India mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy to be given the award. He explained the reason behind his choice while talking on his YouTube channel post India's win in the final against NZ on Sunday (Mar 9).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/23-wins-of-24-icc-tournament-matches-india-emulate-great-west-indies-of-late-70s-and-dominant-australia-of-2000s-with-champions-trophy-win-8841657">'23 wins in 24 matches': India emulate great West Indies of late 70s and dominant Australia of 2000s with Champions Trophy win</a>
"Whatever said and done, the Player of the Tournament, in my view, was Varun Chakaravarthy. He didn't play the entire tournament. He was such a big difference. If Varun Chakaravarthy wasn't there, I think this game would have been very different. He brought that X-factor and the novelty factor. If I were the judge, I would have given it to Varun. He was the biggest difference," Ashwin said.
"Just look at how he dismissed Glenn Phillips. He wasn't covering the stumps, so Varun went wide of the crease and bowled that googly. In my view, Varun has to be the Player of the Series. The award should be given to someone who made the biggest difference. Varun Chakaravarthy deserves the Player of the Series award," he added.
Varun, a late inclusion in the India squad, played only three games in the tournament but took nine wickets including a five-for in his first game - which came against New Zealand in the group stage.
He was the one who dismissed India's arch-nemesis Travis Head during the semi-final against Australia. He also took the first wicket in the final when New Zealand were threatening to run away with the game.
Prior to playing in the Champions Trophy, Varun had played just one ODI, against England. He was selected for the England ODIs on the back of his performance in the T20Is vs England before the 50-over games during which he had taken a five-for as well.

Varun played only three games in Champions Trophy 2025 but took nine wickets including a five-for in his first game - which came against New Zealand in the group-stage. Cricket Sports

Former India spinner Ravi Ashwin has shown complete disagreement with the choice of Player of the Tournament in the recently-concluded Champions Trophy 2025. Runner-ups New Zealand player Rachin Ravindra was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for scoring most runs - 263 in four matches. Ashwin, however, wanted India mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy to be given the award. He explained the reason behind his choice while talking on his YouTube channel post India's win in the final against NZ on Sunday (Mar 9). Also Read: '23 wins in 24 matches': India emulate great West Indies of late 70s and dominant Australia of 2000s with Champions Trophy win "Whatever said and done, the Player of the Tournament, in my view, was Varun Chakaravarthy. He didn't play the entire tournament. He was such a big difference. If Varun Chakaravarthy wasn't there, I think this game would have been very different. He brought that X-factor and the novelty factor. If I were the judge, I would have given it to Varun. He was the biggest difference," Ashwin said. "Just look at how he dismissed Glenn Phillips. He wasn't covering the stumps, so Varun went wide of the crease and bowled that googly. In my view, Varun has to be the Player of the Series. The award should be given to someone who made the biggest difference. Varun Chakaravarthy deserves the Player of the Series award," he added. Varun, a late inclusion in the India squad, played only three games in the tournament but took nine wickets including a five-for in his first game - which came against New Zealand in the group stage. He was the one who dismissed India's arch-nemesis Travis Head during the semi-final against Australia. He also took the first wicket in the final when New Zealand were threatening to run away with the game. Prior to playing in the Champions Trophy, Varun had played just one ODI, against England. He was selected for the England ODIs on the back of his performance in the T20Is vs England before the 50-over games during which he had taken a five-for as well.

'He was such a big difference': Ashwin not happy with ICC's pick of Player of the Series in Champions Trophy

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