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Smriti Mandhana for RCB and Ashleigh Gardner for GG in the first match of the WPL 2025 (PC: BCCI) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to avoid a third consecutive loss at the Chinnaswamy Stadium when they face Gujarat Giants (GG) in the ongoing WPL. In the reverse fixture, RCB created history by chasing down the highest-ever target in the tournament. RCB now leads the head-to-head battle 3-2. Last year, they defeated GG at the same venue. Interestingly, all three of RCB’s wins have come while chasing, while both of GG’s victories have come while defending. RCB’s recent struggles RCB started the tournament well, winning their first two games. However, Smriti Mandhana and her team lost momentum, suffering back-to-back defeats. They lost to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the final over and to UP Warriorz in a Super Over. Smriti’s captaincy decisions were questioned in both games. Her choice to bowl Kanika Ahuja in the 19th over against MI, send herself to bat in the Super Over aga...

Virat Kohli ahead of the Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy (PC: ICC) Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai A few enthusiastic fans chanted “cheeku, cheeku, Kohli, Kohli” as the mainstay of the Indian line-up showcased his control over football in the net session, ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy game versus New Zealand. Kohli, who scored a hundred in India’s win over Pakistan, looked relaxed and chilled out. But as soon as he put on his cricket gear, he seemed to be wearing again his special suit – King Kohli – and he ramped up his intensity levels. Initially, while facing Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, Kohli was intent on defending off the back foot. But he soon expanded his game by crunching a couple of crackerjack pulls. The way he picked the length in a jiffy to go back and across and essay the shot brought enough cheers from those few journalists watching the practice session. Probably, Kohli’s plan was to prepare for New Zealand’s seam attack, which consists...

Danish Malewar celebrating his century against Kerala in Ranji Final (PC: BCCI) One of the great cricketing diktats goes like this: When you win the toss on a good wicket, you bat. When you win the toss on a dodgy wicket, you think about it and then bat. When you win the toss on a deplorable wicket, you think harder and still bat. Kerala did not pay heed to this age-old dictum in the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha. On a benign pitch in Nagpur, they opted to bowl and initially found some success. However, they were countered by an unbelievable ploy from the home team. Vidarbha sent in their bowlers to negotiate the freshness in the pitch during the early overs, sacrificing a few wickets in the process but keeping their main batting order intact. This unexpected gamble helped Vidarbha move into a position of control after Day 1 of this five-day contest, being played on a featherbed where batters can thrive if they apply themselves. Parth Rekhade and Darshan Nalkande were sacri...

New Zealand and team India spinners in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (PC: BLACKCAPS and BCCI) Shamik Chakrabarty in Dubai Kuldeep Yadav tossed it up in the air and lured Salman Agha out of his crease. It was a conventional left-arm wrist-spin delivery, but Kuldeep had bowled it slower through the air. And then, the ball dipped, catching the batsman in no-man’s land. By that time, Agha’s attempted flick over square leg had become the wrong option. As the ball turned after pitching and took the leading edge, he was a dead man walking. By Ravindra Jadeja’s standards, the catch at cover-point was a dolly. Jadeja himself was at the centre of action before Agha’s dismissal, bowling a peach to Tayyab Tahir. The ball turned just enough to beat the outside edge. Pakistan batsmen were at the receiving end of India’s spin-bowling masterclass in the Champions Trophy match against their arch-rivals, but the Indian spinners can do that to more accomplished players. “Credit goes to Kuldeep, A...

New Zealand has been convincing so far in the ongoing Champions Trophy. Up next, they face India in the final group-stage fixture. Image: X When New Zealand arrived on Indian shores last year for the Test series, their journey took them through the cricketing battlegrounds of Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. Touring India or any other country is never just about facing a formidable opponent. It is about embracing the relentless challenge of unfamiliar conditions, especially in the gruelling five-day format of Test cricket. Adapting to the pitches, the heat, and the sheer intensity of Indian cricket is often as daunting as outplaying the home team.   Yet, despite being without their greatest-ever batter, Kane Williamson, New Zealand defied expectations. They not only adjusted to the subcontinental conditions but mastered them, scripting history by handing India their first Test series defeat on home soil since 2012. From the bustling streets of Bengaluru to the cricketing cauldron ...

Mitchell Santner and Co. at New Zealand’s team unveiling event for the Champions Trophy. Image: @BLACKCAPS -Vaibhav Tripathi in Dubai Year after year, tournament after tournament, New Zealand continues to defy expectations, not with flamboyance but with quiet consistency. If there’s one team that has mastered the art of navigating ICC events, it’s them. Always labeled underdogs, yet always finding their way into the knockouts, a pattern that has held strong for a long time. The 2025 Champions Trophy has been no different. The Kiwis, unfazed by pre-tournament skepticism, have secured a semi-final spot with remarkable ease. They set the tone by outclassing Pakistan in the tournament opener and solidified their standing with a clinical win over Bangladesh. It’s hardly a surprise. Given their form leading up to the event, few expected Pakistan or Bangladesh to struggle against them, but New Zealand thrive on overturning predictions. Their participation in a tri-series in Pakistan ahe...

Meg Lanning for Delhi Capitals and Ashleigh Gardner for Gujarat Giants (PC: BCCI) Gujarat Giants (GG) begin their Bengaluru leg today as they take on Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. DC is coming off a loss against UP Warriorz (UPW) at the same venue. With UPW winning two back-to-back matches, DC have slipped to fourth place with four points from four games. GG, on the other hand, are fifth with just two points from three matches. A Must-Win Game for Both Teams A defeat here will make things harder for DC in their playoff race, while for GG, this match could define their season. Their big names—especially the top-order batters—must step up for that to happen. So far, their top-order has struggled in this tournament. In WPL’s history, DC have won three of their four matches against GG. Last season, they faced each other once at this same venue, where DC secured the win. Chinnaswamy has not been a happy hunting ground for GG, as they have lost all four of their matc...