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With the next ODI World Cup in 2027, is it time for the veteran duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to make way for young talent? The ICC Champions Trophy has seen some exemplary performances from Indian stars, especially Kohli who is among the top-scoring batters. Rohit, on the other hand, hasn't failed to set the temp at the top but is yet to convert his starts into big scores. As reports emerge over the duo's possible exit from ODI cricket after the Champions Trophy, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has given his 'honest' verdict. In a video on his YouTube channel , Chopra said that if the duo decide to hang on, the coming two years aren't going to be easy for them by any means. With the ODI World Cup scheduled to be held in 2027, deciding the future course of action isn't going to be an easy task. "It's entirely up to them. I will be very honest, it's not going to be easy. In 2025, Kohli's performance with the bat has been outstandi...

The pitch for the ICC Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan has reportedly been selected. With the title-decider in Dubai just two days away, the authorities have finalised the strip, of many, which will be put into use on Sunday. The ground staff reportedly watered the entire square ahead of the final, and have decided to mark the center-wicket for the final between India and New Zealand. Notably, it's the same wicket that was used for the high-profile India vs Pakistan clash in the group stage of the tournament. According to a report in the Times of India , the Champions Trophy final will use a 'used surface' being deployed. The Emirates Cricket Board has reportedly maintained its 'two week rest' policy for the pitches in Dubai, which hosted the ILT20 before India's matches in the Champions Trophy. But, had no other option than using a 'tired surface' for the final between India and New Zealand. The pitch was last used on February 23 dur...

Skipper Meg Lanning's impactful 92 went in vain as Gujarat Giants defeated table-toppers Delhi Capitals by five wickets to register a hat-trick of wins and book their place in the Eliminator of the Women's Premier League in Lucknow on Friday. Already through to the playoffs, Delhi Capitals rode on Lanning's 57-ball 92 laced with 15 boundaries and a six to pile up a competitive 177 for five. But the total was not enough as Gujarat rode on Harleen Deol's unbeaten 70 off 49 balls and Beth Mooney's 35-ball 44 to be in contention. Towards the end, skipper Ashleigh Gardner (22 off 13) and Deandra Dottin (24 off 10) helped Gujarat Giants past the target in the 20th over. The Gujarat franchise lost opener Dayalan Hemalatha in the second over, caught by Lanning at extra cover off the bowling of Shikha Pandey before wicket-keeper Mooney (44) and Deol joined hands to stitch 84 runs for the second wicket. Mooney and Deol went about their business in calm fashion and picked u...

England's white-ball cricket is at a crossroads following Jos Buttler's resignation as captain after a dismal Champions Trophy campaign. With managing director Rob Key determined to find the "best person" to take over, discussions have sparked over whether Test captain Ben Stokes could also assume leadership in ODIs. Stokes, who played his last 50-over match in England's disappointing 2023 World Cup defense, remains an option. Key acknowledged Stokes' exceptional leadership qualities, saying, "Ben Stokes is one of the best captains I've ever seen, so it'd be stupid not to look at him," Key told Sky Sports. However, he also admitted the need to consider the impact of such a dual role. England is also open to the idea of separate ODI and T20 captains, as Key believes the formats now require a different approach. Several names have emerged in the discussions, including Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Harry Brook. Key emphasized that the decis...

Hayley Matthews smashed a 46-ball 68, while Amelia Kerr registered her best figures of 5/38 as Mumbai Indians progressed to a six-wicket win over UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League here on Thursday. The former champions chased down 151 in just 18.3 overs, boosting their net run rate and jumping to second in the table with eight points, two behind leaders Delhi Capitals with a game in hand. This was UP Warriorz's third consecutive defeat, leaving them on the brink of elimination. Chasing a modest 151 on a dew-laden Ekana Stadium, MI lost Amelia Kerr (10) early, but Matthews took charge, hammering a 35-ball fifty in a match-winning 92-run stand with Nat Sciver-Brunt, the partnership coming off just 58 balls. She played fluently off the back foot, especially through the off-side, and reached her second half-century of the season against UPW with a crisp boundary between point and cover-point. She dismantled Chinelle Henry with a towering six over deep midwicket before sw...

Australia's Paul Reiffel and England's Richard Illingworth will be the on-field umpires, while Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle will be the match referee for the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand here on Sunday. Reiffel, 58, a former Australian fast bowler with more than 200 Test and ODI wickets, was one of the on-field umpires during South Africa's semifinal against New Zealand in Lahore. Illingworth, 61, a former England left-arm spinner, was part of the action in India's last-four clash against Australia in Dubai. Illingworth, the four-time ICC Umpire of the Year, also stood in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Americas. He was also the umpire in the group match between India and New Zealand, which the former won by 44 runs. India defeated Australia by four wickets in Dubai to secure a place in the final, while New Zealand beat South Africa by 50 runs in the other last-four clash. List of officials: ...

A jam-packed crowd was treated to a vintage Sachin Tendulkar masterclass for the India Masters after the Australia Masters duo of Shane Watson and Ben Dunk unleashed carnage to eventually help their side notch up its first win of the International Masters League 2025 at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Wednesday. Shane Watson scored 110 not out and Ben Dunk 132 not out as Australia scored 291/1. Xavier Doherty claimed 5-25 as India Masters were bowled out for 174, losing by 95 runs. It's a battle etched in cricketing folklore — one that has thrilled generations of fans, and on Wednesday, it unfolded once again in Vadodara. Tendulkar brought back memories of the epic Desert Storm in Sharjah with an electrifying 33-ball 64, setting the perfect tone for India Masters' run chase. The delicate late cuts and booming straight drives were on full display as Tendulkar took on the Australian attack with fearless intent, to raise his fifty off a mere 27 deliveries, reminding fans why he re...

Not the one to be easily pleased, India head coach Gautam Gambhir said his team is still searching for that "perfect game" despite entering the Champions Trophy final with an all-win record and he is hopeful that it would come in the summit clash on Sunday. India trounced Australia by four wickets in the first semifinal here on Tuesday, with senior batter Virat Kohli making a well-paced 84. "See, in international sport, you want to keep improving. You don't say that you've ticked all the boxes. We still haven't played a perfect game. I will never be satisfied with the performances," Gambhir said in the post-match press conference. Gambhir hoped that India can produce that "perfect game" in the Champions Trophy title clash on March 9. "We still have one more game to go. Hopefully, we can play a perfect game. We want to keep improving, we want to be ruthless on the cricket field but absolutely humble off the field as well," he added. ...

Bangladesh's seasoned wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim announced his retirement from ODIs after their Champions Trophy campaign concluded on a bitter note. Mushfiqur took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce his retirement from the format. The 37-year-old revealed that he made his decision after going through a couple of "challenging weeks." "I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format as of today. Alhamdulillah for everything. While our achivements may have been limited on a global level, one thing is certain: whenever I stepped onto the field for my country, I gave more than 100% with dedication and honesty," Mushfiqur posted on his Instagram. "The last few weeks have been very challenging for me, and I have come to realize that this is my destiny. Allah says in the Quran: "Wa tu'izzu man tasha' wa tu'zhilu man tasha'" [And He honours whom He wills, and He disgraces whom He wills](3:26). May Almighty Allah forgive us and gran...

Rohit Sharma went on to script history once again as a skipper of the Indian cricket team. The Hitman etched his name in the record books by becoming the first captain in the history of cricket to reach the finals of all four ICC tournaments. Former India captain MS Dhoni had managed to earn India trophies at three ICC events -- T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy by helping India win three elusive finals in 2007, 2011 and 2013 respectively. But, the World Test Championship hadn't started before Dhoni retired from the longest format of the game. Virat Kohli had become the first captain to take India to the WTC final. However, Rohit has now completed what Dhoni practically couldn't.  India's momentous triumph over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday, made India the first side to reach the fifth Champions Trophy final, no other team has reached more than three. Since Rohit took over full-time captaincy in February 2022, India has toppled sev...

India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday slammed critics for claiming that India have an ‘undue advantage' due to them playing all Champions Trophy 2025 games at the same venue and told the ‘perpetual cribbers' to ‘grow up.' India advanced to the final of the tournament with a four-wicket victory over Australia at the Dubai International Stadium. The Rohit Sharma-led side has played all four games at the same venue, whereas other teams have had to travel from Pakistan to the Middle East to face India due to the Indian government's refusal to allow the team to travel to Pakistan for their matches, causing uproar among fans of the other competing nations. “Kaunsi undue advantage? (What undue advantage?) We practice at ICC Academy, where conditions are different from what we get here at the stadium. Some people are perpetual cribbers; they need to grow up,” said Gambhir at the post-game conference. Riding on Virat Kohli's 84, Shreyas Iyer (45), K.L. Rahul (42 not o...

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Monday slammed Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed for questioning India captain Rohit Sharma 's captaincy credentials and fitness levels, saying it was very unfortunate for a responsible person to pass such a trivial comment in the middle of the national team's Champions Trophy campaign. India have reached the semifinals of the ICC event and play Australia in the semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday. They beat New Zealand on Sunday to top their group. "Very unfortunate for a responsible person to pass such a trivial comment when the team is in the midst of such a marquee ICC tournament. It may have demoralising effect on an individual or the team," Saikia told PTI. "All the players are performing to their highest potential and results are visible. I hope individuals shall desist from making such derogatory statements for personal publicity sake at the cost of National Interest," he added. Shama caused a stir on social media with ...

Beth Mooney smashed an unbeaten 96 as an all-round Gujarat Giants thrashed UP Warriorz by 81 runs in a one-sided Women's Premier League match in Lucknow on Monday. Mooney missed out what could have been the first century for any player this WPL season but her 59-ball unbeaten knock with 17 fours powered Gujarat Giants to a formidable 186/5, against which the hosts crumbled without any resistance. Chasing a target of 187, UPW could only make 105 from 17.1 overs as the Giants climbed up from the fifth spot to the second in the points table. UPW, who were placed third before the game, are now fifth. UP Warriorz slipped to 36/5 in the eighth over following a disastrous start and none of their batters could put up any resistance against the Giants' bowlers, who wrecked havoc on an under-pressure batting line-up. Deandra Dottin (2/14) began with two wickets in the opening over, dismissing Kiran Navgire (0) and Georgia Voll (0), while Kashvee Gautam (3/11), Meghna Singh (1/21),...

A funny video involving Virat Kohli and Axar Patel from India's Champions Trophy match vs New Zealand is going viral on social media. During the Group A game between the sides in Dubai on Sunday, the Blackcaps were chasing a target of 250. Kane Williamson held one end tight and kept New Zealand going in the chase despite India making comebacks with wickets at regular intervals. The batter was threatening to take the game away from India but Axar sent him packing on his individual score of 81, leaving New Zealand in deep trouble. As the players reached to congratulate Axar for the wicket, Kohli went up to him and touched his feet before the spinner stopped him from doing so and it all ended with a laugh. Watch it here: Kohli touching Axar Patel's feet after he got Williamson out #Kohli #AxarPatel #INDvNZ #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/mJmgQ95Y15 — voodoo mama juju (@ayotarun) March 2, 2025 Varun Chakravarthy registered a five-wicket haul (5 for 42) as India beat...

The X-factor around mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy's bowling influenced his selection for India's last Champions Trophy group game in Dubai against New Zealand, skipper Rohit Sharma said on Sunday after the move proved to be a masterstroke. Chakravarthy justified his selection in the XI with excellent figures of 5/42 in 10 overs, as India registered a convincing 44-run victory to top Group A on way to the semifinals alongside the Kiwis in second place. "He has got something different about him, so wanted to try and see what he had to offer. We got to think a little about what to do for the next game, it's a good headache. If he gets it right, it's very difficult to read him," Rohit said of Chakravarthy at the presentation ceremony. India will play Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday with New Zealand taking on South Africa the following day in Lahore. "It will be a good game, Australia has a rich history of playing well in ICC tournaments, b...

Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has explained why India would prefer facing Australia, rather than South Africa, in the semi-final of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy. South Africa on Saturday became the final team to book their place in the semi-finals, joining India, New Zealand and Australia. The Proteas topped Group B ahead of the reigning 50-over world champions Australia. India will find out their Champions Trophy semi-final opponents after their final group match against New Zealand on Sunday in Dubai. If India beat the Kiwis, they will take on Australia in the first semi-final on Tuesday at the Dubai International Stadium. Otherwise, they will face the Proteas, what would be a repeat of last year's T20 World Cup final, which Rohit Sharma and his men won in Barbados. Regardless of who they end up playing against, India will play their semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday. Gavaskar, while speaking to India Today, said that if given a choice, India would prefer to face Australia...

Shafali Verma smacked 80 not out as Delhi Capitals handed a fourth consecutive defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru with a commanding nine-wicket win in their Women's Premier League contest here on Saturday. After Ellyse Perry's fourth fifty (60 not out) of the season took the defending champions to a competitive 147/5, DC batters Shafali (80 not out) and Jess Jonassen (61 not out) brushed aside the challenge without much ado. Chasing 148 to win, DC prevailed with nine wickets in hand and 4.5 overs to spare, consolidating their position at the top of the WPL points table with 10 points from seven games, including five wins and two losses. Delhi Capitals had, in fact, handed a similar thrashing to Mumbai Indians here on Friday. RCB, on the other hand, slipped to fourth position with only two wins so far in six matches. The defeat for the Smriti Mandhana-led side was also third in a row for RCB on their home ground here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Shafali continued to daz...

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has taken a dig at England after the side's exit from the Champions Trophy, following their disappointing loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday. Chasing a massive target of 326 runs, England were bowled out for 317 with one ball to spare in Lahore. Ibrahim Zadran , who scored 177, lifted Afghanistan from a precarious 37-3 to a winning total as he put on key stands including 103 runs with Shahidi, who made 40. Zadran's knock was the highest-ever individual score registered by a batter in the history of Champions Trophy. After England's elimination, Gavaskar took a brutal jibe at England, saying that the Jos Buttler -led side has the tendency to play the blame game, instead of focusing on how to improve their performances. England were whitewashed by India in a three-match ODI series. Gavaskar even suggested that England might also put the blame of their exit of India playing their matches in Dubai. "They will still come and start moani...

Delhi Capitals dished out an all-round effort to comfortably beat former champions Mumbai Indians by nine wickets and jump to the top of the table in the Women's Premier League on Friday. Asked to bowl, DC first restricted inaugural edition's winner MI to 123 for nine, riding on Jess Jonassen's fine effort with the ball. Jonassen returned with impressive figures of 3 for 25 from her four overs to break the backbone of DC with the crucial wickets of in-form Nat Sciver-Brunt, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and G Kamalini. Chasing the modest target, skipper Meg Lanning (60 not out off 49) and Shafali Verma (43 off 28) shared 85 runs off just 59 balls to hand DC a great start. Shafali was going great guns but was dismissed in the process, trying to hit right-arm pacer Amanjot Kaur over deep midwicket. She failed to get the elevation, resulting in a straightforward catch for Amelia Kerr near the boundary. But by then Shafali and Lanning had virtually sealed the match in DC's fav...

Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith lavished praise on his disciplined bowlers after the team secured a semi-final spot in the ongoing Champions Trophy following a rain-abandoned match against Afghanistan on Friday. Australia was in control at 109/1 in 12.5 overs, chasing 274, when a downpour left the field waterlogged. Following a two-hour delay, the match was called off, ensuring Australia's qualification with four points. "That's what we were after in the start, to finish in the top two and qualify for the semis. I thought the guys did a good job, made good changes and took wickets in the middle. Did well to restrict them to 270 and we were in a good position," said Smith in the post-match interaction with the broadcaster. Australia leaked 37 runs in extras including 17 in wides but Smith backed the bowling unit. "There were a few (extras) today, and Spencer (Johnson) was getting it to swing too much. Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper) was happy when that s...