Category: Sports

India has a big advantage in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 because they’re playing all their matches in Dubai. Famous cricketers like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have pointed out that since India hasn’t traveled, they know the Dubai pitch very well.

Before their big match, Australia’s captain Steve Smith said it’s hard to say if India has an advantage, but he agreed that they are used to the conditions. India won all their group matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand to top Group A. In contrast, Australia came second in Group B, winning against England but losing matches to rain.

“We’ve seen how the pitch behaves. India has played really well here, so it will be an exciting match,” Smith said at a news conference.

Before India’s last match against New Zealand, both Australia and South Africa were in Dubai. After India won, South Africa flew to Lahore for their semi-final. Unlike other teams, India hasn’t traveled at all during the tournament and has enjoyed the benefits of staying in Dubai to prepare.

“They got it right by being here early and practicing. If we had waited for last night’s match, we would’ve been rushed,” Smith added.

The focus is also on Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who took five wickets against New Zealand. India is expected to use four spinners to challenge the Australian players.

Smith commented that how well his batters handle spin will be crucial to success. “It’s not just Chakaravarthy; their other spinners are really good too,” he said. “How we play during the middle overs will determine the game

Dubai, UAE: Before the important match against Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Team India captain Rohit Sharma shared exciting news about player Axar Patel. He said that during the recent series against England, the team told Axar he would always bat at number five, no matter what happens in the game. This decision paid off as Axar performed really well.

In the first innings of a match, India was in trouble at 30 runs with three players out. Axar came in to bat alongside Shreyas Iyer, and the two of them worked hard to put together a partnership of 98 runs from 136 balls. Axar scored 42 runs from 61 balls, hitting three fours and a six during his time at the crease.

As a bowler, Axar also did a great job, taking one wicket and giving away only 32 runs in his 10 overs in the second innings. Rohit praised Axar, saying, “We clearly told him that he would bat at number five when we started the ODI series against England. He has shown amazing improvement in his batting skills over the last year. He likes to play big shots and take risks, which can be helpful when the team is in a tough spot.”

Since 2016, Axar has batted at number five seven times, scoring 227 runs with a strike rate of 90.43 and an average of 37.83, including one half-century with a top score of 52. Recently, in the ODI series against England, he scored 52 runs in one match and an unbeaten 41 in another. Rohit also remembered Axar’s important innings in the T20 World Cup Final, where he helped India recover after losing three quick wickets against South Africa.

“He really helped our team in the T20 World Cup final, and his performance was fantastic. He stepped up when we needed him the most, and that’s what we want from him. Whenever he plays, he surprises us with just how well he can do. He’s improved a lot, and it’s great to have players like him in the team,” Rohit added.

Nagpur: Vidarbha did everything right as they batted for almost five sessions, using their 37-run first innings lead to secure their third Ranji Trophy title on Sunday. Kerala, making their first finals appearance, put up a strong fight but Vidarbha showed their hard work and discipline throughout the season. They also finished second in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Kerala had a couple of big moments that changed the match. Their captain, Sachin Baby, made a risky shot when he was on 98 runs, which could have led to a different outcome. They also missed an early chance to catch Karun Nair on Day 4 after Vidarbha lost two quick wickets. Vidarbha made the most of these chances, sealing their title after the final ended in a draw at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

This victory marks Vidarbha as a strong team in domestic cricket since they had won back-to-back titles in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, and were runners-up last season. Under captain Akshay Wadkar and coach Usman Ghani, Vidarbha showcased great talent throughout this season. They were the best team from four groups, winning six out of seven matches and earning 40 points, carrying that momentum into the knockout stage.

Unlike Kerala, who had some luck in their knockout matches (winning by narrow margins), Vidarbha won their matches with confidence. They defeated Tamil Nadu by 198 runs in the quarters and beat defending champions Mumbai by 80 runs in the semis. Overall, Vidarbha won nine out of their ten matches this season, highlighting their strength in India’s top domestic competition.

In the final, Vidarbha executed their game plan perfectly, scoring 375/9 with impressive performances from Karun Nair (135 runs), Danish Malewar (73 runs), and Darshan Nalkande (51 not out). Vidarbha started the final day in control, having a lead of 286 runs. Although Nair couldn’t add many runs to his total, Vidarbha managed to stretch their lead to 412 runs before settling for a draw.

The team’s young stars played a key role in their success. Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, 22, set a new record for most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season with 69, earning him the Player-of-the-Tournament title. “It’s a dream come true… I worked hard on my fitness and skills,” Dubey shared.

Dubey also improved his batting skills and scored 476 runs this season, proving he can be a valuable all-rounder. “I prefer to see myself as a batting all-rounder; I really enjoy batting,” he said.

Another standout was Yash Rathod, 24, who scored 960 runs at an average of 53.33, making him the top scorer of the season. Nair joined Vidarbha at the start of this season and excelled in both formats, finishing fourth in the Ranji Trophy rankings with 863 runs in nine matches.

Karun Nair and Danish Malewar led the batting charge in the final, scoring crucial partnerships that helped Vidarbha. Skipper Akshay Wadkar, who plans to retire, also made significant contributions with 722 runs this season.

Wadkar expressed pride in his team, stating, “Everyone worked hard, and we’re all very happy. We prepared well after losing in the final last year.”

Match Summary: Vidarbha 379 & 375/9 (D Malewar 73, K Nair 135, D Nalkande 51, A Sarwate 4/96) vs. Kerala 342. Match drawn.

New Delhi: Former Indian cricket star and coach Anil Kumble has praised South Africa’s fast bowlers, saying they are a powerful group even in tough conditions during the ongoing Champions Trophy. South Africa has been performing well, defeating England and starting their campaign with a big win over Afghanistan. Their last game against England saw them bowl out the team for just 179 runs and win by 7 wickets.

Kumble pointed out the unique skills of South Africa’s trio of fast bowlers: Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi. He mentioned that all three bowlers are tall and bring different styles to their bowling. Rabada has a traditional style, Ngidi can be tricky, and Jansen uses his height to advantage. This variety in their bowling makes it hard for batters to predict how to play against them.

Jansen was particularly impressive against England, taking three important wickets early in the game. Kumble noted that even though Jansen is still young, he has improved a lot in both bowling and batting. He can be a great all-rounder, helping his team in several areas.

Kumble believes that this variety in South Africa’s bowling makes them a strong contender as the tournament progresses.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing a lot of criticism after the exciting match between Afghanistan and Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 was canceled due to bad weather. This game was supposed to take place at the newly updated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, which had a huge renovation costing ₹18 billion.

Afghanistan did well by scoring 273 runs, but the rain started pouring, and Australia couldn’t start batting even after the rain stopped. People were upset when the match was called off because the field was still too wet to play, and puddles were everywhere. Many fans and experts are angry about how the stadium couldn’t handle the rain.

Adding to the problems, videos went viral showing leaks in the stadium’s restrooms, with water dripping from the ceilings. A news portal named Tribune posted these clips, raising questions about how fast and poorly the renovation work was done. The project was supposed to show off Pakistan’s best, but it has instead turned into a big embarrassment.

This was the third match that got canceled in the Champions Trophy, following two games in Rawalpindi. Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal criticized the poor choices made during the renovations, calling the situation a “bad advertisement for Pakistan.”

As more games are scheduled in Pakistan, concerns about the stadium’s readiness are serious. There’s even a semi-final and a potential final match that could be held in Pakistan if India doesn’t make it to the last game.

On Sunday, former India captain Virat Kohli reached an amazing milestone during the Champions Trophy in Dubai. He played his 300th One Day International (ODI) match, making him the seventh Indian cricketer to achieve this feat. Greats like Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni are also part of this exclusive group.

Kohli, who started his ODI career in 2008 against Sri Lanka, has scored an incredible 14,085 runs so far. He boasts an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 93.41, including 51 centuries and 73 half-centuries, with a personal best of 193 runs in a single match. Interestingly, Kohli’s 100th ODI was in the Champions Trophy 12 years ago, against the West Indies, and he played his 200th match against New Zealand in 2017.

The first cricketer to reach 300 ODIs was Mohammed Azharuddin in 1998 against Australia. Over the years, 21 players from around the world have reached this milestone, with Tendulkar holding the record for the most matches at 463. Chris Gayle, a West Indies legend, was the latest to join the club in 2019.

Here’s a list of Indian cricketers who have played 300 ODIs:

– Sachin Tendulkar (1989-2012) – 463 matches
– MS Dhoni (2004-2019) – 350 matches
– Rahul Dravid (1996-2011) – 344 matches
– Mohammad Azharuddin (1985-2000) – 334 matches
– Sourav Ganguly (1992-2007) – 311 matches
– Yuvraj Singh (2000-2017) – 304 matches

What makes Kohli special is that he is the first player to reach 300 ODIs while also playing 100 Tests and 100 T20Is.

Upcoming Milestones for Kohli

After a challenging start in the Champions Trophy with only 22 runs against Bangladesh, Kohli bounced back spectacularly. He scored an unbeaten 100 runs in a critical match against Pakistan, helping India secure a spot in the semifinals. This was his 51st century overall and his first in the Champions Trophy.

Kohli is now close to breaking another record. With 651 runs in the Champions Trophy over 15 innings, he is just 51 runs away from Shikhar Dhawan’s record of 701 runs, which he achieved in only 10 innings. Kohli currently ranks seventh in the all-time list, where Chris Gayle leads with 791 runs in 17 innings.

Rohit Sharma, the captain of India’s cricket team, recently amazed everyone by scoring a fantastic century in an ODI series against England. However, people are still wondering about his future in Test cricket. The selectors have time to decide, since India’s next Test matches will be in June when they tour England.

A former cricketer named Amit Mishra shared his thoughts and said something very clear. He believes that it should be Rohit’s own choice when to retire from Test cricket. Mishra said, “No cricketer starts playing just to please us. We don’t know the pressure they go through.” He emphasized that the decision to continue or stop playing is Rohit’s alone. He mentioned that if Rohit feels he can’t play anymore, he will choose to retire.

There is uncertainty because Rohit didn’t perform well in the recent Test matches. In ten Tests from September 2024 to January 2025, he only scored 164 runs, with just one fifty. His performance in the Ranji Trophy wasn’t great either, as he scored just 2 and 28 runs in his first match back after a break.

Despite this, Mishra believes Rohit can bounce back. He asked, “Can anyone else handle pressure like him?” He also pointed out that Rohit took the brave step to drop himself from the final Test in Australia, which some people called a “PR stunt.” However, Mishra disagreed, stating it wasn’t for publicity; it’s just not Rohit’s style.

Currently, Rohit is playing in the Champions Trophy in Dubai, where India has already reached the semifinals.

Inzamam ul Haq, a famous cricketer from Pakistan, is upset with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) because of a current problem during the Champions Trophy. He wants other cricket boards to team up and stop sending their players to the Indian Premier League (IPL).

This situation began when English cricket legends Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton said that India has a big advantage in the tournament. They pointed out that the Indian team is playing all its matches in one city—Dubai—because the Indian government wouldn’t let them travel to Pakistan due to political and safety issues.

Inzamam argued that Indian players cannot play in foreign leagues, while players from other countries can participate in the IPL. He said, “If India doesn’t let its players join other leagues, why should other boards send their players to the IPL?”

The controversy grew when Australia and South Africa went to Dubai to prepare for a potential semifinal match against India. The semifinal match between India and New Zealand is coming up, and the winner will face either Australia or South Africa. One of those teams will have to fly back to Pakistan because of the match setup.

Abrar Ahmed, the Pakistan spin bowler, shared an emotional post on social media to honor his “childhood hero,” Virat Kohli. This came just days after they played against each other in an exciting Champions Trophy match in Dubai.

In his Instagram post, Abrar expressed his admiration for Kohli’s talent and kindness. He said, “Bowling to my childhood hero Virat Kohli made me feel grateful for his appreciation. His greatness as a cricketer matches his kindness as a person. He is a true inspiration both on and off the field!”

The post included a moment from their match on February 23, where Abrar received some criticism for his send-off to Shubman Gill after a great delivery. However, Kohli showed true sportsmanship by walking up to Abrar after the game to shake his hand and praise his performance. Abrar was Pakistan’s best bowler that day, finishing with impressive figures of 1 for 28.

Virat Kohli is preparing to play his 300th ODI match, having just led India to a six-wicket victory against Pakistan. In that match, he scored an unbeaten 100 runs, marking his 51st century in ODIs, with four of those against Pakistan. He also became the fastest player ever to reach 14,000 runs in ODI cricket. Kohli’s performance helped quiet his critics, especially after his struggles in recent games, including a disappointing 22 runs in his last Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh.

Now, he will take the field against New Zealand on Sunday, joining a special group of only seven Indian players to reach the 300 ODI milestone.