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Smriti_Mandhana (PC:X) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana credited Lauren Bell for bowling a ‘match-winning’ spell in the high-scoring final of the WPL 2026, which they won by six wickets against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Vadodara. All their bowlers were taken to the cleaners by the DC batters in the first innings, as a total of 203/4 was piled up in the allotted 20 overs. Although Bell did not take a wicket, she was economical in a high-scoring match, conceding just 19 runs from her four overs at an economy rate of 4.75. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Player of the Match Mandhana said: “Yeah, we definitely did think it was a good surface to bat on. But of course, 200-plus in a final is definitely a good score. I thought that in the last four overs, we definitely bowled well and pulled it back a little better. Again, credit to Lauren Bell. I mean, 400 runs in a match and she goes for around 20 runs in four overs. For me, that is the match-wi...

Jemimah_Rodrigues (PC: WPL_BCCI) Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Jemimah Rodrigues thanked the fans and said she was proud of her team’s efforts despite their heartbreaking six-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final of the WPL 2026 at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Rodrigues said: “I couldn’t be more proud. To all our DC fans all over the world, thank you so much. Scoring 204 in a final is always a great effort. We have been excellent and, if there was ever a day we wanted our team to fire, it was today. Everyone fought hard and gave it their all, and sometimes that’s all you can ask for. The assessment has been great. To pick yourself up, even as a senior player, is commendable. Nandini has been outstanding and has done more than what we asked of her. Even Minnu has been excellent.” RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first. Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt stitched together a 76-run partnership, laying the foundation...

Smriti Mandhana after the win (Image: WPL) Delhi Capitals’ (DC) wait for their maiden WPL title continued as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated them in the WPL 2026 final in Vadodara. A jam-packed Kotambi Stadium witnessed a thrilling finish as RCB registered a six-wicket win in the final over to clinch their second WPL title. The chase looked like an uphill task, especially after Grace Harris was dismissed early for just nine runs. However, what followed was a batting masterclass from skipper Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll. The Smriti–Voll partnership turned the game completely on its head. During their magnificent 165-run stand off just 92 balls, both batters looked in complete control. They timed the ball beautifully and pierced the gaps with ease. Voll, who had scored only 37 runs in her previous four innings, tore into the DC bowling attack. Along with her conventional strokes, she also brought out a few unorthodox shots to great effect, eventually scoring 79 off 54...

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)_WPL 2026 (PC: BCCI_WPL) The journey to a final is rarely smooth, but for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it has been defined by clarity of roles and impact performances at crucial moments. Three key factors have stood out in shaping their campaign into one worthy of a title shot. Power play Pressure: The New-Ball Blueprint RCB have repeatedly set the tone inside the first six overs. Their new-ball combination has not just hunted wickets but, just as importantly, built relentless dot-ball pressure. In a format where momentum swings rapidly, those quiet overs at the start have forced opposition batters into mistakes. Early breakthroughs have allowed RCB to control the middle phase rather than chase the game. By striking up front, they’ve prevented big platforms and ensured their spinners and change bowlers operate with attacking fields rather than defensive ones. It’s a simple T20 truth, power play wickets win matches and RCB have embraced it better t...

Ravichandran_Ashwin (PC: ICC/X) Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Jos Buttler and Phil Salt will form a deadly opening combination for England in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. “From my side, I would love to see Phil Salt and Jos Buttler open for England because Buttler has huge experience in Asian conditions, and Salt is at the peak of his powers,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. England are in good form in T20Is, having recently whitewashed Sri Lanka 3–0 at home. In the first two matches of that series, Buttler and Salt opened the innings. Both have vast experience of playing in India. Buttler has featured in 22 T20I matches in India, scoring 572 runs in 20 innings at an average of 38.13, including four fifties. The 35-year-old has also been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL, amassing 4,120 runs in 121 matches at an average of 40 across 10 seasons. Meanwhile, Salt has played key roles in Kolkata Knight Riders’ and Royal Challengers ...

Virat, Rohit and Dhoni (PC: X) Former India captain MS Dhoni believes age should not decide the future of a player in any format. Instead, Dhoni feels fitness and performance should be the only criteria in the selection of players for tournaments. At a recent event, when asked whether he sees Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli playing the 2027 ODI World Cup, Dhoni replied, “For me, age is not a criterion. Performance and fitness are the criteria. I always feel nobody should be told anything. But it should be clear that everyone will be treated the same way.” Both Virat and Rohit have retired from Tests and T20Is, but the duo is actively playing ODI cricket. Virat has scored 14,797 runs in 311 ODI matches, while Rohit has amassed 11,577 runs from 282 matches. Dhoni, who led India to multiple ICC titles, pointed out that age was never discussed when he started his career. “When I made my debut, I was 24, nobody told me anything. And now when I’ve played for India for 10 years, 20 years o...

Imran Khwaja in the frame. (PC: ICC) Imran Khwaja, the deputy chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has been given the responsibility to do back-channel negotiations and convince the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play the group league match of the T20 World Cup against India in Colombo on February 15, RevSportz understands. Khwaja represents the Singapore Cricket Association. Hectic backroom parleys have been ongoing on the heels of the Pakistan government’s directive to the national team to boycott the group league game against India. Last Sunday, the Pakistan government put out a post on their X (formerly Twitter) handle that said: “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February against India.” The ICC responded to it by issuing a press release that said: “The ICC notes the sta...

Pakistan is slated to play all their matches in Colombo including the India game. (PC: PCB) Rajeev Shukla, President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Monday reckoned that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was right to warn the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of severe consequences over the government’s decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled to be played in Colombo on February 15. Soon after the Government of Pakistan announced on X that the Men in Green would participate in the World Cup but not play against India, the ICC issued a media release of its own, reminding the PCB of the repercussions of such a selective approach. “The ICC has issued a strong statement on this subject. It has highlighted the element of sportsmanship. We completely agree with the ICC. The BCCI will not make any comment until we speak to the ICC,” Shukla told reporters. In an X post on Sunday, the Government of Pakistan stated: “The Government of th...

Image: X Every global tournament has one invisible contract that holds it together. Not between teams. Not between boards. But between the game and the market. In ICC events, that contract is simple: one match underwrites the entire ecosystem. India vs Pakistan is not a fixture. It is the price anchor. It is the moment broadcasters use to justify billion-dollar cheques. The match around which sponsors calibrate their annual marketing cycles. The spike that allows everyone else in the schedule to exist at a lower yield and still make sense. Remove that anchor, and you don’t just lose a game. You destabilise the economic physics of the tournament. Pakistan’s decision to participate in the T20 World Cup while refusing to play India in the group stage is therefore not a political act. It is a black swan inside a rights cycle that was never priced for uncertainty. Let’s look at the long-term impact on each stakeholder. The ICC: When governance meets fragility For the ICC, this moment...

Meg_Lanning (PC: BCCI_WPL) UP Warriorz (UPW) captain Meg Lanning has said that she will return for the 2027 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony after their match against Delhi Capitals (DC), Lanning said that she still has the competitive fire within her. “Yeah, absolutely. I’m still thoroughly enjoying my cricket. I love playing and coming into teams like this, trying to get the best out of people and the best out of myself too. I’m very competitive. I love trying to win, and that fire is certainly still there. So absolutely, I’ll be back next year and hopefully for a bit longer than that as well,” she said. Although Lanning retired from international cricket in 2023, she continues to shine in domestic leagues such as the Women’s Big Bash League (where she plays for Melbourne Stars) and the WPL. Lanning’s team endured a very poor season, finishing at the bottom of the points table after winning just two of their eight mat...

Pakistan Government has instructed team to boycott India game. (PC: PCB) Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha asserted that his team would follow the instructions given by the government and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Agha’s remarks came when he was asked about the government’s decision to play in the World Cup but not take the field against India. On Sunday, the Government of Pakistan confirmed that the team would boycott the group-stage match against India, scheduled for February 15. Ever since the news broke, it has caused a stir in cricketing circles. Reacting to it at a press conference held in Lahore, Agha said, “Yes, absolutely, we will go (to Sri Lanka for the World Cup). But that is not our decision, sir, and we cannot do anything about it. Whatever our government and our chairman instruct us to do, we have to follow. Only then will we go, and we will do that.” Colombo is slated to host the high-octane clash between India and Pakistan. The decisi...

  Rashid Latif. Images : X Subhayan Chakraborty The Pakistan government on Sunday announced that the national team will boycott the T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, while confirming their participation in the tournament. The decision has sent shockwaves in the cricketing world, with many wondering about the financial losses the International Cricket Council (ICC) and broadcasters will have to bear. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, in an interview with RevSportz, talked about the decision by the Pakistan government while opining up on the relations between the two countries and what it could mean for the future of international cricket. Excerpts: Q: How do you see this decision of the Pakistan government? Rashid Latif: Timing is very important. Pakistan delayed it a little. They could have done it last week or even before that. The Australia series is over. They have to fly tomorrow. Both (Australia and Pakistan) teams will pro...

  Suryakumar Yadav(left) Salman Ali Agha (right) Images :X Pakistan have decided to boycott the India game in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, which is just days away. The decision was communicated via a tweet from the official handle of the Government of Pakistan. The plan is clear: the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will suggest that it is a government call and that it had little or no role in it. They will try this tactic to avoid penalties being imposed and to prevent suspension by the ICC. The truth is, this argument will not cut much ice. Pakistan are still travelling to play in a World Cup that is being hosted by India. The BCCI are the hosts, and Pakistan are participating in a tournament hosted by India. Also, Pakistan were one of the members involved in the process of allocating the tournament to India. Second, they will play in Sri Lanka, which was always the case under the hybrid agreement. Nothing has changed, so the security argument will not really work for Sri Lan...

Delhi_Capitals (PC: Women’s Premier League/X) Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Jemimah Rodrigues praised the bowling unit for their remarkable performance in their five-wicket win over UP Warriorz (UPW) in the 20th match of WPL 2026. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Rodrigues said: “Yeah, I think our bowlers have been doing a great job. We know T20 cricket is never easy for bowlers, but I think our bowlers have been brave enough to stick to their plans and keep executing their strengths rather than focusing on the batter’s strengths. And I think that is something that has worked for us: clarity and sticking to your strengths.” DC won the toss and sent UPW in to bat. None of the UPW batters were able to hold their ground or put up much of a fight. DC’s bowlers, especially Marizanne Kapp, were excellent, with Kapp taking three crucial wickets while conceding 30 runs in her four overs. Chinelle Henry and Shree Charani also contributed with two wickets each, as DC restric...