Sports

  Tilak Varma is fine and will be ready for international action soon, said DB Ravi Teja, the coach of the Hyderabad cricket team, denying speculation that the ace India T20 batter could be in danger of missing the Twenty20 World Cup. Tilak's next international assignment is the T20 home series against New Zealand, starting on January 21 in Nagpur, exactly two weeks from today. The Hyderabad coach said the 23-year-old left-handed batter, hero of India's Asia Cup triumph in Dubai, will be ready for the five-match series itself, even as there is speculation in certain quarters of the media and social media that his availability for the Twenty20 World Cup, starting on February 7, could be doubtful. "It was a very minor surgery he underwent in Rajkot on Wednesday. There is nothing serious or alarming about it. He will be ready in three to four days," the 38-year-old Andhra-born Hyderabad coach told Cricbuzz on Thursday. Tilak went under the knife for testicular torsion in...

  The Bangladesh Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday instructed all broadcasters in the country to stop airing the Indian Premier League. The directive followed the exclusion of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the 2026 season. In the aftermath, the Bangladesh Cricket Board, citing security concerns, had also decided not to play their T20 World Cup matches in India and formally requested the ICC to relocate their fixtures. The broadcasting ban was issued through an official notification on Monday (January 5), signed by assistant secretary Firoz Khan. It applies to all IPL matches and related programming and will remain in effect until further notice. According to the notice, the ministry took cognisance of the decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to leave Mustafizur out of the KKR squad for the IPL season scheduled to begin on March 26, 2026. "No reasonable justification for such a decision is known," the no...

  Bangladesh Cricket Board announced on Friday that they will host India for a three-match ODI series and as many T20Is in August-September 2026. "The  series that was postponed earlier  between Bangladesh and India has been rescheduled," Shahriar Nafees, BCB cricket operations in-charge, told Cricbuzz. Indian team is now scheduled to arrive on August 28, with the ODI games to be played on September 1, 3, and 6. The T20Is will be played on September 9, 12, and 13 before the neighbours return home. BCB announced Bangladesh's home international schedule for the 2026 season on Friday, with the calendar featuring bilateral series against Pakistan, New Zealand, India, Australia, and the West Indies across the three formats. "The confirmed itinerary ensures a season full of international cricket in Bangladesh, providing supporters across the country the opportunity to watch top-level cricket at home, while details of match venues will be announced in due course," BCB ...

  Rishabh Pant  has been named captain of Delhi's squad for the upcoming  Vijay Hazare Trophy  that starts on December 24.  Virat Kohli , as reported earlier, has also been selected in the 20-man squad, which was named for the first two games. According to a statement from the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), seamers  Ishant Sharma  and  Navdeep Saini  have also confirmed their availability, while  Harshit Rana  will join the team when available. Rana was part of India's T20I squad for the series against South Africa that will end on Friday. Delhi is scheduled to play seven games from December 24 to January 8, in Group D. Whether Pant and Kohli will be available for all games is not yet established, with India also playing three ODIs starting January 11 in Vadodara. Delhi's first two games are against Andhra and Gujarat, both to be played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Ayush Badoni  has been ...

  Lazio's Tijjani Noslin scores the opening goal of their Serie A match against Parma.  Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images Tijjani Noslin  entered the field in the 69th minute, with  Lazio  down to ten men at  Parma  and holding on to a 0-0 draw. Nine minutes later, Noslin's slim chances of affecting the game went from minuscule to an impossibility when Toma Basic was sent off for the visitors, as Lazio were reduced to nine men. Four minutes later, Noslin made the impossible possible, as nine-man Lazio took the lead, courtesy of a superb solo goal. The 26-year-old Dutch striker wasn't even manager Maurizio Sarri's second-choice when he'd come on against Parma. The role of Valentin Castellanos' understudy as striker was handed to Boulaye Dia this year, with Sarri reducing Noslin's minutes from 1284 minutes last season to a mere 158 in 2025/26 as the Dutchman failed to start a single game. Noslin was clearly not in the Italian manager's plans, ...

1. India’s first “1983 moment” in women’s cricket What happened: India women's national cricket team defeated South Africa women's national cricket team by 52 runs in the final of the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup to claim their maiden title. Reuters+2Olympics+2 Their achievement is being compared to the men’s team’s iconic 1983 World Cup win — in terms of historic significance for Indian cricket. Reuters+1 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a reward of ₹51 crore for the squad, support staff and selection committee. News on Air+1 Why it matters for your blog: A major milestone for women’s sport in India — not just a cricket victory, but a cultural moment. Offers rich angles: leadership (Harmanpreet Kaur), teamwork, overcoming odds, investment into women’s sport. Use this as the headline story , then link to broader implications (next section). Suggested angle/title line for this part: “From underdog to world-champion: How I...

  🎯 1. Rishabh Pant’s Counter-Punch Keeps India Alive In Bengaluru, India A were set 275 to chase against South Africa A. After going in early trouble at 32/3, Rishabh Pant entered and played with his trademark flair, finishing unbeaten on 64 and steering his side to 119/4 at stumps to keep the match alive. The Times of India Why this matters: Pant’s resurgence and attacking mindset are a strong signal that he’s back in form, which bodes well for India’s depth going forward. For the A-series, a thrilling final day is expected — great for fans and selectors alike. ⚠️ 2. Tragic Loss of 17-Year-Old Ben Austin in Australia The cricket community is in mourning after the death of 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin, who sustained fatal injuries during a net session in Melbourne. The Times of India+1 Notably, former Australian cricketer Sean Abbott visited the site to pay his respects. Why this matters: Beyond sorrow, this incident rai...