Sports

Champions Trophy: Steve Smith Highlights the Gear-Shifting Ability of India’s Fearsome Batsmen

Published

11 months ago

March 4, 2025

As the Indian top order—comprising Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer—enters their semifinal matchup against Australia on Tuesday, Aussie captain Steve Smith has praised their impressive ability to adapt their batting approach.

While Rohit Sharma recorded a tournament-best score of 41 in the opening match against Bangladesh, both Kohli and Gill have each scored a century, and Iyer has proven to be a trustworthy number 4, leading all Indian players in runs in this edition.

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“They’re dangerous players. I think the entire Indian batting line-up has the capability to shift gears effectively. They are a formidable side with exceptional cricketers. For us, it’s about adapting to the conditions we face tomorrow and performing better than the opposition—that’s the key,” Smith remarked.

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In their previous two major knockout encounters, Australia triumphed over India, securing victories in both the 2023 World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final. As India fields a spin-heavy lineup suited for the slow pitches in Dubai, questions have been raised about whether they might have overindulged in spinners.

Nonetheless, Sunday’s match affirmed their strategy, and the last-minute decision to include Varun Chakravarthy could potentially shift the game in India’s favor.

Smith believes that all four spinners in the Indian squad have put the competition under pressure throughout the tournament and is eager to rise to that challenge.

“Not just Chakravarthy, but the remaining spinners are also of high quality. The outcome of the game may hinge on how we handle the spin, especially during the middle overs. It’s definitely going to be a test; the pitch suggests there will be some spin, and we must find a way to counter that. We’ve got a few strategies in mind for tomorrow,” he stated.

There has been considerable discussion about India potentially gaining an unfair edge in the tournament due to playing all their matches, including a possible final, at the same venue—the Dubai International Circuit. However, Smith does not view it as a major advantage.

“In terms of advantage, perhaps a bit, but I’m not entirely sure. India has obviously played all their matches here and understands the surface well. The entire square is relatively dry, and from my discussion with the groundsman, it has seen significant traffic. India has performed exceptionally in their games, so it’s bound to be a thrilling contest. We’re looking forward to it,” Smith said.

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Sports

Pakistan Sets 3 Conditions to Play against India in T20 World Cup

Published

3 days ago

February 9, 2026

Namma Kudla

Dubai: Pakistan has placed three conditions before the International Cricket Council (ICC) to agree to play against India in the T20 World Cup.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) planned to boycott the match scheduled on February 15 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ICC warned Pakistan about possible consequences after this decision.

Now, PCB is willing to consider playing the match but has made key demands. It has asked the ICC to increase compensation for Bangladesh, pay participation fees even if Bangladesh is left out of the tournament, and grant Bangladesh hosting rights for a future ICC event.

Some PCB officials support playing against India, but PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has not agreed yet. He is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday before making a final decision.

So far, PCB has not officially confirmed whether Pakistan will play the match.

Sports

T20 World Cup | Pakistan Edge Past Netherlands in a Close Contest

Published

5 days ago

February 7, 2026

Namma Kudla

Colombo: The T20 World Cup began today with an exciting match between Pakistan and the Netherlands. Pakistan secured a narrow three-wicket victory despite a strong bowling performance. However, the top-order batters failed to deliver. With this win, Pakistan made a positive start to the 10th edition of the tournament.

After losing the toss, the Netherlands batted first at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. The team was bowled out for 147 runs in 19.5 overs. Pakistan chased the modest target and scored 148 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 19.3 overs.

Pakistan started aggressively, but the Netherlands slowed their progress. Pakistan lost four wickets for 98 runs. Soon, they were in trouble at 114 for seven. Faheem Ashraf played a crucial role at the end and guided the team to victory.

For Pakistan, Sahibzada Farhan scored 47 runs, while Saim Ayub added 24 runs. Faheem Ashraf contributed an important 29 runs. The rest of the batters failed to score big. Star batter Babar Azam disappointed fans by scoring only 15 runs off 18 balls.

Earlier, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards scored 37 runs. Bas de Leede made 30 runs, Colin Ackermann added 20, and Michael Levitt scored 24 runs. The remaining batters were dismissed for low scores.

Sports

India Clinch Record Sixth Under-19 World Cup Title

Published

5 days ago

February 7, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: India defeated England by 100 runs to win the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 final at the Harare Sports Club. The victory marked India’s sixth title, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

India batted first and posted a massive total of 411 for 9 in 50 overs. The innings was powered by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who smashed a record-breaking 175 runs off just 80 balls. His knock included 15 fours and 15 sixes and became the highest individual score ever in an Under-19 World Cup final.

Suryavanshi also shared a crucial 142-run partnership with captain Ayush Mhatre, who scored 53 runs. Their strong batting display helped India set a daunting target of 412 for England.

England tried to fight back in the chase, with Caleb Falconer scoring 115 and Ben Dawkins adding 66. However, the team was eventually bowled out for 311, handing India a comfortable victory.

Suryavanshi was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament for his historic performance. The triumph once again highlighted India’s dominance in youth cricket on the global stage.