Category: Sports

In a recent match at the ICC Champions Trophy, India’s U19 Women’s T20 World Cup-winning captain, Niki Prasad, praised the amazing Virat Kohli for his impressive performance against Pakistan. Kohli, who is 36 years old, showed his talent again by scoring a brilliant century while chasing a target of 242 runs in Dubai. This knock was special as he reached several important milestones: his first century in the ICC Champions Trophy, becoming one of the few players to score 14,000 runs in ODIs, and passing the great Ricky Ponting to be the third-highest run-scorer in international cricket history.

In an interview, Niki said, “They call him the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) for a reason. He comes back strong after every setback, which is not easy to do. He learns from his mistakes and gets even better. You can see his determination every time he plays.”

So far in the tournament, Kohli has scored 122 runs in just two games, averaging an impressive 122.00, with a top score of 100 not out. As he prepares to face New Zealand on Sunday, he aims to maintain the consistency that has made him one of India’s best batters over the years.

However, last year was tough for him. He scored only 655 international runs in 23 matches, with his highest score being a century. Many believe it was not his best year in cricket. But with many more ODIs this year, Kohli is eager to regain his outstanding form.

Meanwhile, Niki shared her excitement about winning her second world title with the team, especially after their victory over South Africa by nine wickets in the final earlier this year. She said, “Winning the World Cup once was amazing, but doing it again feels even better. I’m really proud of my team for achieving back-to-back wins.”

Niki also learned an important lesson during the tournament: a team can’t win by depending on just one or two players. Everyone on the team needs to contribute to achieve success. She emphasized that a strong team effort is crucial, and it’s important for all players to express their skills on the field.

During the busy preparation for the Champions Trophy, a kind moment happened at the ICC Academy. Shreyas Iyer, a top Indian batsman, surprised a net bowler named Jaskiran Singh with a thoughtful gift. Jaskiran, who helps practice with different teams, was sad because he didn’t get to bowl to the Indian players since they already had enough bowlers in their training session.

While fielding during India’s practice, Jaskiran was surprised when Iyer came up to him and said, “Hey, how are you?” Then Iyer asked about his shoe size. When Jaskiran replied that it was size 10, Iyer handed him a pair of cricket spikes! Jaskiran felt really happy about this special gift.

Even though Jaskiran hadn’t bowled to India yet, he had fielded for them in practice sessions. He said, “This is a memorable moment for me. I’ve bowled to teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh, and receiving these spikes from Shreyas Iyer is amazing!”

Jaskiran also shared his dream of bowling to Rishabh Pant. He said, “Every player in the Indian team is great, but I really look up to Pant because he’s a left-handed batsman. I would love to bowl to him!

In New Delhi, famous South African cricketer Dale Steyn believes that the growing Afghanistan cricket team has a chance to win an important tournament in the next ten years. Steyn thinks this can happen if Afghan players learn to stay calm and take their time during the game.

The Afghanistan team has come a long way from struggling due to war and issues in their country. Now, they are a strong team in white-ball formats like One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20s (T20s). They almost made it to the playoffs in the 2023 ODI World Cup, pulling off impressive wins against big teams like England, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Last year, they reached the semifinals in the T20 World Cup, beating Australia.

Steyn pointed out that many players today want quick results, hoping every ball will get them a wicket, just like they want instant gratification on social media. He said, “One of the biggest things Afghanistan players need to learn is patience. If they can get that right, they could absolutely win ICC tournaments in the next ten years.”

He suggested that playing longer games, like four-day matches, could help Afghan players learn to build their innings better. Steyn said, “In the past, players would join county cricket or play first-class cricket to improve their skills. While T20 cricket is great, spending time in longer games could really help them with their overall game.”

Afghanistan has been trying to reach the semifinals in the Champions Trophy this year. They are competing with Australia and South Africa after a great win against England. Unfortunately, their loss to South Africa hurt their hopes. Their match against Australia got washed out, leaving them with a slight chance to qualify if England beats South Africa by a large margin.

In Vadodara, India, a big crowd enjoyed the first match of the International Masters League 2025. Sri Lanka Masters scored a thrilling victory against Australia Masters thanks to an amazing 51-ball century by Upul Tharanga and a powerful half-century from Lahiru Thirimanne.

Chasing a target of 218 runs, Sri Lanka Masters had a shaky start when star player Kumar Sangakkara got out early. However, Tharanga and Thirimanne teamed up for a fantastic 153-run partnership, showcasing their classic cricket skills. Tharanga started slowly but then hit big shots, scoring his fifty runs in just 31 balls. After getting a lucky break on 83, Tharanga exploded into action, punishing the Australian bowlers.

Thirimanne also found his rhythm, scoring his fifty runs with a boundary while batting sensibly. Just when it seemed like Sri Lanka was going to win easily, Australia fought back with some key wickets. Ben Laughlin managed to take three wickets in quick succession, keeping Australia in the game.

As the match heated up, Sri Lanka needed 35 runs from 3 overs when Isuru Udana scored some quick runs off Christian. In a tense finish, Sri Lanka required 16 runs from the last 12 balls. Jeevan Mendis and Seekkuge Prasanna did well, but Chaturanga de Silva finished the match with a six, leading Sri Lanka Masters to a thrilling victory.

Before the match, cricket legends gathered with Kumar Sangakkara inviting Shane Watson to bat for Australia. Watson and Shaun Marsh started slowly but soon began scoring quickly. Watson hit three boundaries off Isuru Udana but got out soon after, leaving Marsh and Ben Dunk to build a solid partnership of 102 runs. Dunk scored 56 runs, while Marsh dazzled the crowd with a powerful 77 off 49 balls.

In the end, Australia Masters set a strong target of 217 runs. Sri Lanka Masters chased it down, scoring 222 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.

Final Scores: Australia Masters – 217/4 in 20 overs
Sri Lanka Masters – 222/7 in 20 overs

Pakistan’s cricket team captain, Mohammad Rizwan, shared his sadness after the team was knocked out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The tournament is happening in Pakistan and the UAE. After their final group match against Bangladesh ended without a result due to rain, Pakistan finished in last place in Group A with just one point. They suffered defeats against strong teams like New Zealand and India, leaving them unable to reach the semi-finals.

Rizwan explained that injuries to key players Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman disrupted the team’s balance. “We really wanted to perform well for our fans. Expectations were high, and it’s disappointing that we didn’t do better,” Rizwan said. He described how important Ayub’s recent performances were for the team, but losing him to an ankle injury during a Test series hurt their chances. Zaman also had to leave the tournament early due to a muscle strain.

When asked about the team’s preparation and depth, Rizwan emphasized the need for improvement in Pakistan’s domestic cricket. “We need to work on many aspects to raise our standards. It’s clear we need to improve our game,” he added.

Looking ahead, Pakistan is set to tour New Zealand for a series of five T20 matches and three One Day Internationals starting March 16. Rizwan is hopeful that his team will learn from their recent mistakes and come back stronger against New Zealand. “We’ve made mistakes recently, but we can learn and do better next time,” he concluded.

Pakistan’s Champions Trophy Journey Ends in Rainy Draw Against Bangladesh

Pakistan’s cricket team had an exciting match against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy. Sadly, the game ended in a draw because of rain. The players tried their best, but the rain stopped them from finishing the match.

Both teams wanted to win, and the fans were excited. After a few overs of play, dark clouds covered the sky, and rain began to pour. Everyone hoped it would stop, but it kept coming down.

In the end, the match was called off, and Pakistan couldn’t move forward in the tournament. The players were disappointed but promised to work harder for the next time. Fans are still cheering for them, hoping for better luck in the future!

England’s cricket team is in trouble again! For the second time in three major tournaments, they didn’t make it to the knockout stage. After winning the World Cup in 2019, they haven’t played well enough to keep their title. Under their former captain Eoin Morgan, they changed how One Day International (ODI) cricket is played, influencing other teams. But now, with Jos Buttler leading, they seem to be stuck, unable to adapt or improve.

They lost to Afghanistan, which meant they were out of the Champions Trophy after also losing to Australia. Many cricket legends, including Michael Vaughan, Michael Atherton, and Nasser Hussain, are unhappy with the team’s performance. Sunil Gavaskar, a famous player from India, also criticized them.

Gavaskar pointed out Harry Brook’s strange excuse for getting out during a match. Brook had said he’d had trouble seeing the ball because of the smog in Kolkata. Gavaskar mocked this claim asking if the lights in Lahore were okay since Brook got out in a silly way.

Another player, Ben Duckett, had also made a comment about not caring if they lost 0-3 to India as long as they could win the final of the tournament later. But guess what? India qualified for the semi-finals, while England is going home! Fans were quick to remind Duckett of his words on social media.

Duckett had started the tournament strong, scoring a personal best of 165 runs against Australia, but it wasn’t enough for a win.

Afghanistan once again showed they are a strong team, not just in T20 matches but also in One Day Internationals (ODIs). They pulled off an exciting win against England by just eight runs during the 2025 Champions Trophy held in Lahore. This match has everyone talking!

Famous cricket player Sachin Tendulkar praised Afghanistan’s success, saying their wins can no longer be seen as surprises. He highlighted the amazing performance of Ibrahim Zadran, who scored a record-breaking 177 runs, the highest ever in Champions Trophy history. Azmatullah Omarzai also starred in the match, taking five wickets and helping secure the victory.

In the game, Afghanistan scored 325 runs for 7 wickets, thanks to Zadran’s outstanding batting. England’s Joe Root tried to chase down the score and made 120 runs, but after he got out, the team fell apart and lost.

Zadran felt honored when Tendulkar recognized his achievement, saying, “It’s amazing to be praised by someone who inspires many players like me. Your words mean a lot, sir!”

At one point, Afghanistan was struggling at 37 runs for 3 wickets, but Zadran formed great partnerships with other players like Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi. Omarzai helped too, scoring 41 runs and taking out big players from England, including captain Jos Buttler and centurion Joe Root.

In just four days, the highest individual score in the Champions Trophy has been broken twice, both at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. First, it was England’s Ben Duckett against Australia. Now, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran has taken the record after an incredible performance against England.

Zadran scored an amazing 177 runs off 146 balls, hitting 12 fours and 6 sixes. This was Zadran’s sixth century in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and helped Afghanistan recover from a shaky start at 37 for 3. Zadran teamed up with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi for a strong partnership of 103 runs for the fourth wicket, and later added another 111 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammed Nabi.

With this score, Zadran not only broke the record set by legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Nathan Astle, but he also set the new record for the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. Moreover, it became the highest score ever by an Afghanistan player, surpassing his previous best of 162 against Sri Lanka in 2022.

Zadran’s remarkable performance has made him a spotlight for the cricket world, and Afghanistan finished with a total of 325 runs in their 50 overs, putting pressure on England in this crucial match.