Well, that was fast. If you were hoping to snag a ticket for the first India vs. New Zealand ODI in Vadodara, you likely missed your chance. Tickets for the match vanished in a blistering eight minutes flat. The reason for the frenzy? Two words: Virat and Rohit. The superstar duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are not just playing cricket anymore; they are an event. With both legends having stepped away from T20Is and Tests, seeing them in ODI action has become a special occasion for fans, and the hype is real. This sold-out stadium is the loudest proof. Adding to the spectacle is their current form. Rohit sits comfortably as the world's No. 1 ranked ODI batter, with Kohli right on his heels at No. 2. They ended 2025 on a high against Australia and South Africa, and the public is eager to see that magic continue. But there’s an interesting subplot brewing beneath all the fanfare. With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, head coach Gautam Gambhir and selector Ajit Agarkar have been clear about building a young team for the future. This means every game for Kohli and Rohit isn't just another match; it's an audition. Their places for that global tournament are not guaranteed, and every inning will be watched under a microscope. And the veterans are responding like champions. Not content to just wait, both recently played in the domestic Vijay Hazare Trophy to get match-ready. Rohit hit a century for Mumbai, while Kohli scored a hundred and a fifty for Delhi, with the latter even making himself available for an extra game. The message is clear: they are here to fight for their spots. For the fans in Vadodara and those watching elsewhere, this series is more than just India vs. New Zealand. It’s a chance to witness two of the game's greats write the next chapter of their storied careers, with passion and persistence on full display. One thing's for sure: they won’t go down without making every single ball count. The countdown to the first ball has never felt more electric.

Pakistan seized control of their three-match T20 series on Friday, defeating Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the second contest. The victory hands Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead, cementing their status as a formidable force with the T20 World Cup on the horizon. Once again, Pakistan's performance was a model of efficiency. After being put in to bat, they posted a competitive 167 for 6, a total built on a brilliant 65-run knock from captain Babar Azam. The platform was then perfectly set for the bowlers, who dismantled Sri Lanka's lineup for just 130 runs. The architect of the collapse was the crafty leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who continued his outstanding comeback with a devastating spell of 4 for 18. He was ably supported by the pace of Shaheen Afridi (2-28), who struck early blows to keep Sri Lanka permanently on the back foot. “The way the team is executing plans is very pleasing,” said a satisfied Babar Azam after the match. “We wanted to be tested batting first, and the partnerships we built were crucial. Shadab has come back with great focus, and the whole bowling unit is in a confident rhythm.” For Sri Lanka, the loss is a continuation of their struggles. While Kusal Mendis offered some resistance with 34 runs, the batting order crumbled under the relentless pressure of Pakistan's varied attack. The team now faces the prospect of a series whitewash in the final match on Sunday. “We are just not matching their intensity in key moments,” conceded a frustrated Sri Lanka captain, Dasun Shanaka. “Our batting has to show more fight. We have one more game to salvage some pride and find some answers before the World Cup.” With the series already decided, Sunday’s finale offers Pakistan a chance for a clean sweep and Sri Lanka a vital opportunity to rebuild some confidence before the global tournament arrives on their shores.

The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is set to begin on January 9 in Navi Mumbai, with defending champion Mumbai Indians taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru. At the mega auction, which was held in November, all five teams roped in a handful of uncapped players who impressed in the domestic circuits. Here’s a look at some new signings to watchout for in WPL 2026:   Triveni Vasistha (Mumbai Indians) Representing Haryana in the domestic tournaments, she was part of the 2025 squad, which won the Women’s Under-23 T20 Trophy Elite. | Photo Credit: Instagram/Triveni Vasistha Triveni Vasistha was signed by Mumbai Indians for Rs. 20 lakh in the mega auction. The 18-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner had spent a month-long coaching clinic with the MI franchise. Representing Haryana in the domestic tournaments, she was part of the 2025 squad, which won the Women’s Under-23 T20 Trophy Elite. A regular performer for the State since 2022, she also featured in the BCCI COE Emerging squad for the BCCI Emerging Multi-Format Women’s Tournament.   Deeya Yadav (Delhi Capitals) The teenager first burst onto the domestic and made people notice of her unadulterated power in 2023 for her unbeaten 213 runs off 125 balls in an Under-15 One-Day Championship against Tripura. | Photo Credit: Instagram/Deeya Yadav Deeya Yadav is an explosive top-order batter from Haryana, cut from the same cloth as fellow Statemate and senior Shafali Verma. The teenager first burst onto the domestic and made people notice of her unadulterated power in 2023 for her unbeaten 213 runs off 125 balls in an Under-15 One-Day Championship against Tripura. Since then, she has rapidly become a mainstay of the state senior team, having racked up 298 runs in eight innings at the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy this season, averaging 59.50 and striking at nearly 130. At the WPL auction, the 16-year-old was picked by the Capitals for Rs. 10 lakh.   Happy Kumari (Gujarat Giants) Happy Kumari represented and captained Rajasthan at the U-19 level, earning accolades like Player of the Tournament before her call-up.  | Photo Credit: Instagram/Gujarat Giants Happy Kumari was roped in by Gujarat Giants for Rs. 10 lakh. She hails from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu, a district not well known for producing many national-level players. The 18-year-old pacer was part of India’s U19 women’s cricket team squads at the BCCI Emerging Multi-Format Women’s Tournament 2025. She has represented and captained Rajasthan at the U19 level, earning accolades like Player of the Tournament before her call-up.   Prathyoosha Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) Prathyoosha represents Karnataka in the domestic scene, often showcasing her glove work and big swings. | Photo Credit: Instagram/ Prathyoosha Kumar Royal Challengers Bengaluru bagged Karnataka’s Prathyoosha Kumar for Rs. 10 Lakh in the mega auction. The 26-year-old from Karnataka is a wicketkeeper-batter known for her power-hitting. She has been a regular performer in the domestic scene, often showcasing her glove work and big swings, most recently in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. She has been a familiar face in the RCB camp, onboard as a nets contributor.   G. Trisha Gongadi Trisha was a key contributor in India’s successful title defence at the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.  G.ongadi Trisha, part of both the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup-winning squads, was bought by UP Warriorz for Rs. 10 lakh. The all-rounder was a key player in India’s successful title defence, finishing with the most runs and becoming the first centurion in the history of the tournament. Representing Hyderabad in the domestic setup, she has been a consistent performer across tournaments in the senior and age-group competitions.

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} .detail-item { margin-bottom: 8px; display: flex; } .detail-label { font-weight: 600; min-width: 160px; color: #555; } .player-of-match { color: #c62828; font-weight: 700; } .match-notes { background-color: #fff8e1; padding: 15px; border: 1px solid #ffecb3; margin-top: 20px; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 13px; } .match-notes-title { font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 8px; color: #ff8f00; } .note { margin-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; position: relative; } .note:before { content: "•"; position: absolute; left: 0; color: #ffa000; } .bowler-name { font-weight: 600; } 1st Match (N), Women's Premier League at Navi Mumbai, Jan 9 2026 Mumbai Indians Women 154/6 20 Overs (RR: 7.7) v Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women 157/7 20 Overs (RR: 7.85) RCB Women won by 3 wkts (0b rem) ✅ Mumbai Indians Women Innings (20 overs maximum) BATSMEN R B M 4s 6s SR AC Kerr c Reddy b Bell 4 15 21 0 0 26.66 G Kamalini † b Patil 32 28 46 5 0 114.28 Nat Sciver-Brunt st †Ghosh b de Klerk 4 3 5 1 0 133.33 H Kaur (c) c †Ghosh b de Klerk 20 17 20 1 1 117.64 NJ Carey c Hemalatha b de Klerk 40 29 39 4 0 137.93 S Sajana c Mandhana b de Klerk 45 25 32 7 1 180.00 AB Kaur not out 0 2 5 0 0 0.00 PN Khemnar not out 0 1 1 0 0 0.00 Extras 9 (lb 1, w 8) TOTAL 154/6 (20 Overs, RR: 7.7) Did not bat: S Ismail, S Gupta, S Ishaque Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Amelia Kerr, 4.6 ov), 2-35 (Nat Sciver-Brunt, 6.2 ov), 3-63 (Gunalan Kamalini, 9.6 ov), 4-67 (Harmanpreet Kaur, 10.6 ov), 5-149 (Sajeevan Sajana, 19.1 ov), 6-154 (Nicola Carey, 19.5 ov) BOWLING   O M R W ECON 0s 4s 6s WD NB LK Bell 4 1 14 1 3.50 19 2 0 3 0 LCN Smith 2 0 23 0 11.50 5 5 0 0 0 A Reddy 4 0 37 0 9.25 4 4 0 2 0 N de Klerk 4 0 26 4 6.50 10 4 0 0 0 SR Patil 4 0 32 1 8.00 7 1 1 3 0 RP Yadav 2 0 21 0 10.50 3 2 1 0 0 ✘ Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Innings (target: 155 runs from 20 overs) BATSMEN R B M 4s 6s SR GM Harris c Ismail b Nat Sciver-Brunt 25 12 21 4 1 208.33 S Mandhana (c) c Khemnar b Ismail 18 13 16 4 0 138.46 D Hemalatha lbw b AB Kaur 7 12 14 1 0 58.33 RM Ghosh † c Carey b Kerr 6 6 14 1 0 100.00 RP Yadav b Kerr 1 2 3 0 0 50.00 N de Klerk not out 63 44 55 7 2 143.18 A Reddy c Kerr b Carey 20 25 32 2 0 80.00 SR Patil b Carey 1 2 3 0 0 50.00 P Rawat not out 8 4 16 2 0 200.00 Extras 8 (b 5, w 3) TOTAL 157/7 (20 Overs, RR: 7.85) Did not bat: LCN Smith, LK Bell Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Smriti Mandhana, 3.5 ov), 2-47 (Grace Harris, 4.6 ov), 3-62 (Dayalan Hemalatha, 6.4 ov), 4-63 (Radha Yadav, 7.1 ov), 5-65 (Richa Ghosh, 7.4 ov), 6-117 (Arundhati Reddy, 16.1 ov), 7-121 (Shreyanka Patil, 16.6 ov) BOWLING   O M R W ECON 0s 4s 6s WD NB Nat Sciver-Brunt 4 0 47 1 11.75 8 6 2 1 0 S Ismail 4 0 26 1 6.50 14 5 0 0 0 NJ Carey 4 0 35 2 8.75 7 4 1 0 0 AB Kaur 3 0 18 1 6.00 9 3 0 0 0 AC Kerr 4 0 13 2 3.25 13 0 0 2 0 S Ishaque 1 0 13 0 13.00 2 3 0 0 0 Match Details Venue: Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai Series: Women's Premier League 2026 Toss: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women, elected to field first Player Of The Match: Nadine de Klerk Season: 2025/26 Hours of play: 19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50 Match days: 9 January 2026 - night match (20-over match) Umpires: Bhavesh Patel, N Janani TV Umpire: Gayathri Venugopalan Reserve Umpire: Kaushik Gandhi Match Referee: Rajni Basnet Points: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women 2, Mumbai Indians Women 0 Match Notes Mumbai Indians Women innings Powerplay 1: Overs 0.1 - 6.0 (Mandatory - 34 runs, 1 wicket) Mumbai Indians Women: 50 runs in 8.4 overs (52 balls), Extras 4 Strategic Timeout: Mumbai Indians Women - 52/2 in 9.0 overs (G Kamalini 29, H Kaur 10) Mumbai Indians Women: 100 runs in 14.6 overs (90 balls), Extras 6 Strategic Timeout: Mumbai Indians Women - 112/4 in 16.0 overs (NJ Carey 21, S Sajana 25) 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 32 balls (NJ Carey 19, S Sajana 30, Ex 1) Mumbai Indians Women: 150 runs in 19.3 overs (117 balls), Extras 9 Over 19.3: Review by Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - N Janani, Batter - AB Kaur (Struck down - Umpires Call) Innings Break: Mumbai Indians Women - 154/6 in 20.0 overs (AB Kaur 0, PN Khemnar 0)   Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women innings Powerplay 1: Overs 0.1 - 6.0 (Mandatory - 57 runs, 2 wickets) Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women: 50 runs in 5.1 overs (31 balls), Extras 6 Strategic Timeout: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women - 72/5 in 9.0 overs (N de Klerk 3, A Reddy 5) Over 11.5: Review by Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - N Janani, Batter - A Reddy (Upheld) Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women: 100 runs in 13.5 overs (83 balls), Extras 8 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 48 balls (N de Klerk 30, A Reddy 19, Ex 1) Strategic Timeout: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women - 117/5 in 16.0 overs (N de Klerk 32, A Reddy 20) N de Klerk: 50 off 42 balls (6 x 4, 1 x 6) Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women: 150 runs in 19.5 overs (119 balls), Extras 8

As the big screen lit up with the DRS review, Shreyanka Patil stood frozen by the pitch, her cap clutched tight. She had just convinced her captain to challenge that lbw shout against Beth Mooney. Most of her teammates, Smriti Mandhana aside, had already drifted back to their positions, ready for the next over. Then, the magic words: three reds.   Patil leaped, a burst of pure joy, and threw her arms around Mandhana. Within seconds, the rest of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru players swarmed her, celebrating the first wicket of what would become a stunning five-wicket haul—a spell that would dismantle the Gujarat Giants' chase in the WPL. This moment was a long time coming. Patil’s last appearance for India was at the 2024 T20 World Cup. What followed was a brutal 14-month exile from the game, sidelined by a cruel cycle of injuries to her shin, wrist, and thumb. She missed the entire last WPL season. Her road back wound through the WCPL and domestic cricket for Karnataka before leading to this night. "It’s been a rollercoaster," Patil confessed after the match, her voice ringing with hard-won relief. "Being out for 14 months was a massive blow. I'm not someone who can just sit still—I live to be on that field. Coming out of it stronger, that's down to my support system. And the work I've put in over the last month back home in Bangalore with my coach, Arjun sir… I was ready." Used in short, sharp bursts on Friday, Patil delivered a masterclass, claiming her first-ever WPL five-wicket haul (5 for 16) and becoming the first bowler in the league’s history to take three four-plus wicket hauls. She single-handedly derailed Gujarat's chase. "I see myself as a wicket-taker," she said, a quiet confidence replacing past frustration. "The drift, the turn, the bounce I get—that’s my strength. And I’m giving myself credit for it today, because I’ve worked so hard for this. I never wanted to just be a containing bowler. I prepared to be the impactful one, the one who changes the game. All those practice sessions, match scenarios, even getting hit by the boys in the nets—it taught me how to attack."   Her spell was a clinic in precision. After the reviewed lbw of Mooney, she returned to trap Kanika Ahuja. In the crucial 16th over, she broke a dangerous 56-run partnership by having Kashvee Gautam caught at deep midwicket. She then sealed the match by taking two more wickets in just four balls. "The advice from Anya [Shrubsole, bowling coach] and Malo sir was simple: 'Your stock ball is your best ball on this wicket,'" Patil revealed. "So I kept it simple. Got the arm ball going, bowled a lot of off-spinners. And as Smriti kept reminding me, as an off-spinner, those left-handers are a big target. We wanted them all." Her five-for propelled her to the top of the wicket-takers list this season, tying her with eight wickets. Coach Anya Shrubsole praised not just her skill, but her meticulous mind. "Shreyanka is exceptional," Shrubsole said. "She bowls at a good pace, spins it, and challenges batters. What we’ve really encouraged is for her to back her best ball more often. She trains intensely, plans for specific batters, and is crystal clear on her strategy. She was disappointed after the last game—unnecessarily, in my view—so today, I’m absolutely thrilled for her." That previous game saw figures of 2 for 50, a mix of brilliant strikes and expensive overs. "In her first two overs last time, she was outstanding," Shrubsole reflected. "She got Lanning and Litchfield out. Later, maybe she strayed from her plan. So the message was clear: trust your best ball. It’s exceptional. And today, she did just that—over and over, to left and right-handers alike. She was outstanding, and that five-for was fully deserved."   For Shreyanka Patil, Friday night was more than just a match. It was a statement—a triumphant return to the spotlight, crafted from patience, pain, and an unwavering belief in her best ball.