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Exclusive: South Asian film star Taapsee Pannu has signed for representation with Crimson Media.

She becomes the latest Indian talent to sign with Crimson this year, coming after the likes of Farhan Akhtar, Sayani Gupta and Rajshri Deshpande.

Pannu, who works across Hindi, Telugu and Tamil film, is coming off 2023 hit Dunki, where she appeared opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Rajkumar Hirani’s feature about an illegal immigration technique called ‘donkey flight.’

In Tamil film, her notable roles gave come in the likes of 2011’s Aadukalam, comic horror Kanchana 2, tense action thriller Arrambam and thriller Game Over. In Telugu cinema, she first gained attention from her role in K Raghavendra Rao’s 2010 feature Jhummandi Naadam and romantic drama Mr. Perfect, which also starred Prabhas.

She began acting in Hindi films in 2013 in David Dhawan’s Chashme Baddoor, co-starring Siddharth, Rishi Kapoor, Divyendu Sharma and Ali Zafar, and in 2016 acted opposite...

Cricket, often seen as a male-dominated sport, has found its way onto the silver screen with compelling narratives featuring female protagonists. In these cricket-centric films, actresses step onto the pitch, showcasing their talent and passion for the game while challenging societal norms.

“Mr. and Mrs. Mahi” starring Janhvi Kapoor portrays the journey of a cricket-loving couple breaking barriers to pursue their dreams.

Rani Mukerji’s portrayal in “Dil Bole Hadippa” as a woman disguised as a man to play cricket tackles stereotypes head-on.

Anushka Sharma shines in “Chakda ‘Xpress” as a spirited cricket enthusiast on a journey of self-discovery.

Adding to this impressive lineup is Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming film “Shabash Mithu,” where she embodies the role of Mithali Raj, the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team. Pannu’s dedication to portraying real-life athletes with authenticity and depth further solidifies her position as a trailblazer in cricket-themed cinema.

The ‘Shahenshah’ of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan has lauded the bowling style of former Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami, saying the way she bowls is frightening.

However, the cine icon failed to answer a question on former cricketer and captain of India Women’s National cricket team Mithali Raj.

The megastar, who is the host of quiz based reality show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 15’ welcomed cricket sensations Ishan Kishan and Smriti Mandhana to the hot seat.

During the gameplay, a toss took place, and the cricketers had won it.

On loosing the toss, Big B said: “Many times, we win even though we lose the toss. So, what must I do now?”

Ishan said: “Sir, we’ll be playing Super Over with you again. You’ll be asked questions.”

Smriti asks the ‘Piku’ actor: “Sir, first question. In the Indian women’s cricket fraternity, who is also known as Chakda Xpress? Sir, she is from Kolkata,...

Singer-rapper Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, alias ‘Badshah’ was grilled by the Maharashtra Cyber Police for promoting the Fairplay App, in connection with the probe into a digital piracy complaint filed by Viacom18, official sources said here on Monday.

Badshah, 37, was reportedly quizzed for over two hours for endorsing the Fairplay App which had screened the Ipl 2023 matches, leading to the Viacom18 complaint in April.

The complainant Viacom18 has contended that it held the broadcast rights of the Ipl 2023 cricket tournament (March 2023-May 2023), but the tourney was simultaneously screened by Fairplay App which was endorsed by Badshah.

Badshah had shared some of the videos on social media, and more such clips have also been viewed on other platforms showing him promoting the Fairplay App, and following the complaint, the Maha Cyber Police Cell launched its investigations.

Besides Badshah, several other celebs have also promoted the app including Ranbir Kapoor, Kiara Advani,...

Singer-rapper Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, alias ‘Badshah’ was grilled by the Maharashtra Cyber Police for promoting the Fairplay App, in connection with the probe into a digital piracy complaint filed by Viacom18, official sources said here on Monday.

Badshah, 37, was reportedly quizzed for over two hours for endorsing the Fairplay App which had screened the Ipl 2023 matches, leading to the Viacom18 complaint in April.

The complainant Viacom18 has contended that it held the broadcast rights of the Ipl 2023 cricket tournament (March 2023-May 2023), but the tourney was simultaneously screened by Fairplay App which was endorsed by Badshah.

Badshah had shared some of the videos on social media, and more such clips have also been viewed on other platforms showing him promoting the Fairplay App, and following the complaint, the Maha Cyber Police Cell launched its investigations.

Besides Badshah, several other celebs have also promoted the app including Ranbir Kapoor, Kiara Advani,...

The Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour continued to capture the imagination of cricket enthusiasts as it swept through Europe, leaving a trail of excitement and unity in its wake. With stops in Netherlands, UK, France and Italy, this leg of the tour underscored the global appeal of cricket and heralds the forthcoming Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Following the Netherlands recent dramatic qualification campaign which culminated in their first Cricket World Cup berth since 2011, the Trophy was welcomed onto the track at the Dutch Grand Prix, where captain Scott Edwards presented it on the starting grid amidst a sea of enthusiastic Dutch Formula 1 fans. As well as visiting iconic Dutch landmarks, the Trophy also attended the country’s domestic final fixture.

During the day-long festival of cricket, national heroes Edwards, Max O’Dowd and Aryan Dutt conducted a cricket clinic for young players before the Netherlands...

Europe, Aug 30 (Ians) The Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 trophy tour continued to capture the imagination of cricket enthusiasts as it swept through Europe, leaving a trail of excitement and unity in its wake.

With stops in Netherlands, UK, France and Italy, this leg of the tour underscored the global appeal of cricket and heralds the forthcoming Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Following the Netherlands recent dramatic qualification campaign which culminated in their first Cricket World Cup berth since 2011, the Trophy was welcomed onto the track at the Dutch Grand Prix, where captain Scott Edwards presented it on the starting grid amidst a sea of enthusiastic Dutch Formula 1 fans.

As well as visiting iconic Dutch landmarks, the Trophy also attended the country’s domestic final fixture. During the day-long festival of cricket, national heroes Edwards, Max O’Dowd and Aryan Dutt conducted a cricket clinic for young players...

New Delhi, Aug 15 (Ians) As the nation is celebrating the 77th Independence Day, former, as well as current Indian sportspersons, extended their greetings for the occasion on Tuesday.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Mithali Raj, Pv Sindhu, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuvraj Singh, and numerous other athletes conveyed their well-wishes to fellow countrymen on the occasion of Independence Day on social media.

Sachin wrote: “I love my India. Wishing all my fellow Indians across the world a very happy Independence Day.”

Kohli took to his X ( previously Twitter) account and wrote: “Happy Independence Day to all. Jai Hind.

Two -time Olympic medallist, Sindhu shared her throwback picture from Rio Olympics silver-winning moment and wrote: On this Independence Day, I send warm wishes to all my fellow Indians. Raising the tricolor high on the podium multiple times has been my greatest honor.

“The sound of ‘Jana Gana Mana’ never fails to give me goosebumps,...

Gros Islet (Saint Lucia), June 27 (Ians) The West Indies Women took a 1-0 lead in the three-match Women’s One-Day International series, defeating Ireland by 58 runs at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground here.

Winning the toss and batting first, West Indies posted 297/6 in 50 overs as captain Hayley Matthews led the West Indies scoring, striking her fourth Odi century 109.

Stafanie Taylor notched her 40th half-century in scoring 55 and Chinelle Henry brought up her maiden Odi fifty in 38 deliveries (7×4) as the West Indies posted a challenging total. Stafanie Taylor is now third on the list of women players with the most Odi half-centuries behind Mithali Raj (71) of India and England’s Charlotte Edwards (55).

Cara Murray was the pick of the Irish bowlers, with figures of 10-0-60-3 while Ava Canning (1-33), Arlene Kelly (1-46) and Sophie MacMahon (1-30) were the other wicket-takers.

Hayley Matthews then returned with the ball to scalp...

Mumbai, June 13 (Ians) Renowned cricket coach Atul Gaikwad became the first-ever Indian to be certified as a specialist Level 4 Elite Coach through England and Wales Cricket Board’s (Ecb) flagship programme. The Pune resident is currently the global head coach of Sachin Tendulkar’s SRT10 Global Academy. He is also the most qualified coach at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (Bcci).

Gaikwad, who holds PhD in the study of illegal bowling action from Pune University, had earlier secured Level 3 coaching certifications from Bcci and Cricket Australia in 2004 and 2008 respectively, becoming the only Indian to be certified by Bcci, Cricket Australia and Ecb.

He completed the Level 4 coaching certification alongside some of the top names from the cricketing world such as England’s Jonathan Trott and Ajmal Shahzad, Yasir Arafat of Pakistan and Zimbabwe’s Neil Johnson, working under the tutelage of the best in their fields like Gary Kirsten,...

New Delhi, May 14 (Ians) Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has urged Ms Dhoni to not break hearts and hurt the feelings of his fans’, saying that Chennai Super King skipper should keep playing in Ipl as he has a lot of cricket left in him.

In an Ipl 2023 match on Sunday, the attention will be once again on Dhoni and the Csk captain will be eager to collect two crucial points against a vitriolic Kkr side.

Batting mostly at No 7 or 8, Dhoni has scored 96 runs in 12 games with an impressive strike rate of 204.25 so far in the season.

“Ms Dhoni has stopped time. He still looks the same old Dhoni. He’s hitting those big shots, taking those singles. Although he’s not running at his full speed, he’s hitting those sixes at ease and still looks dangerous with the bat. Don’t hurt our feelings Msd. You should continue playing,...

New Delhi, April 28 (Ians) In Indian Premier League (Ipl) 2023, the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Piyush Chawla and Mohit Sharma have proved through their stellar performances that old is indeed gold. Before the start of the season, no one gave them a chance to be standout performers, but now they are vital cogs in their respective teams with their performances.

Mohit, who was a net bowler with Gujarat Titans last year, has picked up six wickets in four games and returned with two Player of the Match awards for the side on two occasions and has been a go-to bowler for skipper Hardik Pandya in the death overs.

Rahane, who was picked up by Csk at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, has owned Ipl 2023 with his breathtaking performances. As of now, Rahane aggregated 224 runs in six innings, averaging 44.8 and at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 189.83.

Former India cricketer Mithali Raj has hailed Rahane,...

New Delhi, April 27 (Ians) The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday announced the annual player contracts of senior India women’s team for the 2022/23 season, under which captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma are in Grade A, the highest bracket of the contracts.

Pacer Renuka Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh are the new entrants in the Grade B division alongside batters Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Meanwhile, Grade C has new additions in fast bowlers Meghna Singh and Anjali Sarvani.

The right-left arm fast-bowling duo are alongside allrounders Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Harleen Deol and Devika Vaidya, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and right-handed batter Sabbhineni Meghana in Grade C. The retirements of legendary cricketers Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami means they have expectedly been left out from the contracts list.

Other notable omissions from the 17-member contract list include veteran pacer Shikha Pandey,...

London, April 6 (Ians) Former India captain M.S. Dhoni, his teammates Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh along with women internationals Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami were on Wednesday awarded the Honorary Life Membership of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (McC).

M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh were both integral parts of the India side which won the 2007 Icc Men’s World T20 and the 2011 Icc Men’s World Cup, and Suresh Raina scored over 5,500 Odi runs across a 13-year career.

The custodians of the game’s rules have also picked England’s World Cup-winning captain Eion Morgan and Kevin Pietersen, South African Dale Stein and New Zealand’s Ross Taylor among the honorary life members.

Pakistan’s former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and Bangladesh’s Mashrafe Mortaza were also included in the list released by the McC on Wednesday.

“McC awards Honorary Life Membership of the Club to some of the world’s finest cricketers.

Mumbai, March 21 (Ians) Star Sports, the official television broadcaster of the Ipl 2023, on Tuesday announced a star-studded panel of commentators that features some of the most decorated players to have graced the 22 yards.

Cricket aficionados can tune in to watch two T20 World Cup winning captains Paul Collingwood and Aaron Finch, the latter having played for nine Ipl franchises, providing a captain’s perspective.

Joining them will be former England and Ipl legend Kevin Pietersen, whose extensive knowledge of the sport and colourful personality has made him a fan favourite over the years.

Another fan favourite – Danny Morrison – will be seen in his elements on Star Sports’ coverage of Ipl 2023. One of the greatest all-rounders ever and a former Ipl coach Jacques Kallis makes his debut on Star Sports’ panel.

Former Australia batters David Hussey, who was also Kkr mentor and Matthew Hayden, Csk legend, will join Kallis and Pietersen.

Mumbai, March 14 (Ians) Ahead of their crucial game against table-toppers Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Wpl 2023, Gujarat Giants, head coach Rachael Haynes has said that that team’s future is is still in our hands and they just need to be focused and win next games in order to qualify for the finals.

Fourth-placed Adani Gujarat Giants have won just one in their four matches so far. Having faced each other in the season opener, the Giants will be hoping to improve and stop the winning momentum of Mumbai Indians on Tuesday evening.

“The first match was really a big occasion for our group and perhaps for a lot of young players. They might have been overwhelmed in the beginning but they have learned from that experience and accumulation from all that will help make them better players. We have switched our focus quite well after our first game. We...

The idea behind the promo is crystal clear – cricketers have been household names in India for a long time. With the Wpl, all set to begin from Saturday in Navi Mumbai, it will now make various women cricketers household names too, seen from initial matches being completely sold out.

In the Wpl running till March 26, 87 players will be participating, out of which 28 are uncapped Indian cricketers. With very little television or streaming coverage of women’s domestic cricket matches, the Wpl presents a golden chance for those talented players to showcase their skills in front of a worldwide audience.

"Wpl will definitely benefit state players, uncapped players and other players who are playing the game, and will bring a change in them. Like, when I saw Harry (Harmanpreet Kaur) go and play Wbbl in the first year and when she came back, I saw a perceivable change in her approach to the game.

Mumbai, March 2 (Ians) Attacking batter Kiran Navgire has proven her ability as a big-hitter over the course of her career, especially in the Indian domestic circuit.

Navgire is also the first Indian cricketer to score more than 150 runs in a T20 match. Her inspiration for the prowess, seen from her knock of 69 for Velocity in the Women’s T20 Challenge at Pune last year, wasn’t surprising, as she idolises Ms Dhoni, Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag.

“I only followed Ms Dhoni and didn’t watch many others, but I did watch Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag. These three players have been my idols in my cricket journey,” she said in an episode of ‘Know Your Stars’ on JioCinema.

The 27-year-old from Solapur didn’t envision herself as the upcoming star she is now, excelling in athletics through her formative years. However, the 2011 Men’s World Cup victory by India...

Mumbai, Feb 27 (Ians) The Adani Group owned Gujarat Giants on Monday appointed Australia’s Beth Mooney as the captain and Indian all-rounder Sneh Rana as the vice-captain of the team ahead of the inaugural edition of the Womens Premier League (Wpl), beginning on March 4.

Touted to be one of the most dominating wicket-keeper-batters in the game, Mooney and her team Australia successfully brought home the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2018, 2020 and 2023 along with the Women’s Odi World Cup in 2022 and the Gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Mooney, who has thrice won the Women’s Big Bash League, is one of the few batters in the women’s T20 to have scored multiple centuries, with two to her name, along with 17 half-centuries.

She is one of the most reliable members of the Australian women’s team and has played more than 83 games and scored 2,350 runs so far in her career,...

New Delhi, Feb 26 (Ians) Women’s cricket in India has made huge strides ever since its breakout moment came as being runners-up in the 2017 Odi World Cup in England. Since then, India won Asia Cup, became runners-up of 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, were semi-finalists in 2018 and 2023 Women’s T20 World Cups and also bagged maiden U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy earlier in the year.

The question now arises is, what more needs to be done to further the development of women’s cricket in the country? The inaugural edition of Women’s Premier League (Wpl) is starting from March 4 and it promises to be another watershed moment in upping the growth of women’s cricket in the country.

In her column for the International Cricket Council (Icc), former India captain and legendary batter Mithali Raj pointed towards two things which nations would need to up their growth...

With less than a fortnight left for the tournament to kick off in Mumbai, the Wpl is set to give tough competition to other top women’s franchise cricket leagues like the groundbreaking Women’s Big Bash League (Wbbl) in Australia and The Hundred in England.

But how does the Wpl stand as compared to the Wbbl or The Hundred? We take a look:

Total number of players involved: Ahead of the inaugural player auction, ninety places, including 30 for overseas players, were up for grabs. Now, Wpl will see 87 players competing in the tournament, including all overseas slots filled up.

Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore filled all their 18 slots while Mumbai Indians and Up Warriorz signed up 17 and 16 players respectively in the player auction.

Wbbl, on the other hand, has 16-member squads for all eight teams, including three overseas players in each team. Usually, a list manager...

Gqeberha (South Africa), Feb 20 (Ians) Former captain Mithali Raj feels the Indian team has been scratchy in both batting and bowling at the Icc Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 and they have to put up the best performance in all three departments of the game in the semi-final.

India suffered an 11-run defeat to England on Saturday as their chase ran out of steam in the final overs when they needed a daunting 31 runs from the final six deliveries.

A final over of 19 papered over the cracks in India’s effort, as England improved their tournament record against India to 6-0, also storming to the top of the Group 2 table.

Raj, speaking on the 100 Cricket Podcast, pinpointed the middle-over periods across both innings as where India faulted.

“The over that India lost Smriti Mandhana, that point was so crucial because she was building a partnership with Richa Ghosh. Until she was there,...

New Delhi, Feb 3 (Ians) Gujarat Giants, the Ahmedabad-based franchise in the newly-formed Womens Premier League (Wpl) on Friday announced that they have roped in Rachael Haynes, Nooshin Al Khadeer, Tushar Arothe and Gavan Twining for coaching roles in the team.

Rachael will be the team’s head coach while Nooshin, who recently coached the India U19 team to winning inaugural U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, will be the team’s bowling coach.

Arothe, a former India women’s team head coach, will be the batting coach of Gujarat Giants and Twining will be the team’s fielding coach. The appointments come after legendary India cricketer Mithali Raj was appointed as the side’s mentor and advisor on January 28.

“The likes of Rachael Haynes, Nooshin Al Khadeer, Tushar Arothe, and Gavan Twining will certainly take the performance of the team notches up. Not only have they carved...

Ahmedabad, Feb 1 (Ians) Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar along with Bcci secretary Jay Shah and other board office-bearers felicitated the Shafali Verma-led side that won the inaugural edition of U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, before the start of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium, here on Wednesday.

The legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar graced the fans at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad ahead of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand on Wednesday.

The batting maestro, Jay Shah, Bcci president Roger Binny, vice-president Rajiv Shukla and others, also presented the team with a Rs 5 crore cheque.

Addressing the fans on the special occasion, Tendulkar took centerstage and the entire stadium burst into the iconic “Sachin Sachin” chants. He then used the iconic ‘Kemcho’ line to address the crowd’s respect. “Kemcho Ahmedabad?...

New Delhi, Jan 30 (Ians) Veteran cricketers Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj lavished praise on the Indian women’s team as they became the U19 T20 World Cup champions.

With a brilliant bowling performance followed by a calm run-chase, India cruised to victory over England in the final, sealing their triumph with seven wickets in hand and six overs to spare.

Opening bowlers Titas Sadhu and Archana Devi ripped through the England top order, reducing them to 22/4 after six overs. Sadhu bowled her four overs straight through, going for just six runs and picking up two wickets.

Taking to Twitter, Jhulan said: “Historic win. Proud of our U19 team. A great performance by Titas. Congratulations to all the players. This victory will inspire millions,” tweeted Jhulan.

“Champions! Congratulations #TeamIndia, this is a monumental achievement! This fantastic victory shows how dominating you have been throughout the tournament. The triumph is even more...

New Delhi, Jan 28 (Ians) Former India women’s team captain and battling stalwart Mithali Raj on Saturday was appointed as mentor and advisor for the Gujarat Giants, ahead of the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (Wpl) which will take place in March-April 2023.

Adani Sportsline, the sports development arm of the Adani Group which won the rights to operate the Ahmedabad side in the Wpl with the highest bid of Inr 1289 crores, said in an official statement that apart from being a mentor and advisor of the Giants, Mithali will also promote women’s cricket and help develop the sport at the grassroots level in Gujarat.

“The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League is a fantastic move for women’s cricket and the involvement of the Adani Group is a massive boost for the sport as well. Women’s cricket is growing steadily, and this kind...

The recent success, as regards the selling of the Rights of Women’s Ipl cricket tournament, truly reflects the progress that has been made by both the Bcci and cricket as a sport, in India. The game of cricket is the true benefactor, as it smells as sweet when played by either men or women.

The reason why India’s marketing gurus find the property enticing is that Indian Women’s cricketers bring in a feel of amateurism in the way that they play the game. They instil a breath of fresh air, a different look to the sport. It enables one watching it to enjoy cricket at a pace that is easier to follow.

Men’s cricket, on the other hand, has become a contest, wherein, it has become professional with a serious outlook. The game of cricket and cricketers are thoroughly scrutinized. Whereas, in women’s cricket one...

Mumbai, Dec 21 (Ians) India top-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues had made a rousing comeback to the T20I team after being left out earlier in the year, including being the leading run-scorer in a victorious Womens Asia Cup campaign.

But Jemimah had a lean time in the recent five-game home series against Australia, making only 28 runs in the first four matches. For the final game at the Brabourne Stadium on Tuesday, Jemimah was left out and Harleen Deol played at number three, making a quick 24 off 16 balls before being run-out.

“We all thought that we should give Jemi a break because we know how important she is. Going forward, it is important that we keep her in that good frame of mind. Batting line-up is something you cannot fix in T20s. I know Jemi was batting at number three for a long time,” said India captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the post-match press conference.

Dubai, Dec 13 (Ians) Continuing her remarkable recent rise, Australia batter Tahlia McGrath jumped three places to become the No.1 ranked T20I batter in the latest Icc Women’s Player Rankings, released on Tuesday, after her superb performances in the first two matches of their ongoing series against India.

The 27-year-old, who struck unbeaten knocks of 40 and 70 in Mumbai, has overtaken compatriots Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney as well as India opener Smriti Mandhana to become the fourth Australian and 12th batter to top the women’s T20I rankings.

Mooney had been at the top since August 3 this year when she overtook Lanning. Icc Hall of Famer Karen Rolton is the other Australian to have been at the top of the rankings.

McGrath claims the honour just 16 games into her T20I career — the same amount of matches it took India great Mithali Raj to reach the feat in...

Melbourne, Nov 6 (Ians) With South Africa’s 13-run loss to the Netherlands paving the way for India’s automatic qualification to the Icc T20 World Cup semifinal stage on Sunday, veteran women’s cricketer Mithali Raj has said Rohit Sharma’s side should still not take Zimbabwe lightly in their last Super 12 game at the McG.

India, on six points, were looking forward to their game against Zimbabwe later on Sunday to qualify for the last-four when the Dutch created the biggest upset of the tournament, defeating the Proteas and eliminating them from the T20 World Cup, thus paving the way for Sharma’s side to automatically enter the semifinal.

But Mithali, India’s former women’s team captain, said irrespective of the side securing the last-four berth, they should be wary of smaller teams like Zimbabwe.

“They (India) cannot take the game against Zimbabwe lightly. We know what they...

Mumbai, Nov 1 (Ians) Former India women’s cricket team skipper Mithali Raj has predicted an India-New Zealand final in the Icc Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 currently underway in Australia, saying there is no doubt in her mind that Rohit Sharma’s side will be there fighting for the trophy come November 13.

Mithali Raj, who made her commentary debut during the India-South Africa Super 12 match in the T20 World Cup after bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, is the only Indian captain to have led the India women’s team in two Odi World Cup finals.

“My predictions for semifinal spot, that is four spots will be India and South Africa from Group 2. From Group 1, it will be New Zealand and a toss-up between England and Australia. And the finalists, there is no doubt, India has to be there, and New Zealand,” said Mithali,...

As per the pay equity policy, both male and female Indian cricketers would be paid Rs. 15 lakhs for a Test match, Rs. 6 lakhs for an Odi game and Rs. 3 lakhs for a T20I match. It is a huge raise for the women’s cricketers in terms of match fees, as previously they earned Rs. 4 lakhs for a Test match appearance while an Odi and T20I match would fetch them Rs. 1 lakhs.

With the Bcci now showing progressive thinking in terms of women’s cricket in the country, Thursday’s announcement was graciously welcomed by many former and current cricketers in India and abroad.

Former India cricketer Mamatha Maben, who captained the side in 19 ODIs from 2003 to 2004, spoke to Ians about the pay equity decision as well as the impact of it in future, what more can be done for absolute parity and more.

Excerpts:

Q. What were the...

Melbourne, Oct 23 (Ians) Reiterating why he is considered one of the best chasers in world cricket, Virat Kohli on Sunday produced a masterclass of batting, slamming an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls to power India to an incredible four-wicket victory over Pakistan in a thrilling Super 12 match of Men’s T20 World Cup at iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, here.

Kohli, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya added 113 runs for the fifth wicket after a difficult start for the side with the team being 31/4 after six overs.

After the right-left fast-bowling duo of Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh picked three wickets each to restrict Pakistan to 159/8 in their 20 overs, Kohli along with Hardik Pandya (40) shared a match-winning fifth wicket stand of 113 off 77 deliveries.

The former India skipper remained not out and along with Ravichandran Ashwin (1 not out off 1), led India to a sensational victory in their campaign opener.

Following the historic game, celebrities from...

Cape Town (South Africa), Oct 3 (Ians) Just like the men’s team will do, the India women’s team will take on arch-rivals Pakistan on February 12 in their opening match in the Icc Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa next year.

The clash in Group B at Newlands, Cape Town will be followed by India taking on West Indies in their second match on February 15 as per the schedule for the biggest-ever women’s sporting event in Africa was announced on Monday.

The top 10 teams in the world will begin their bid for the biggest prize in T20 cricket when South Africa take on Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Icc Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands on February 10.

A total of 23 matches will be played across Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha in 15 days. The world’s best cricketers will take centre stage for a...

New Delhi, Sep 25 (Ians) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (Bcci) on Sunday congratulated legendary pacer Jhulan Goswami on a stellar career in international cricket. Jhulan, who also captained India in her 20-year international career, retired from international cricket following the conclusion of the Odi series against England at Lord’s on Saturday, which India won 3-0.

In an international career spanning over two decades — the second longest in women’s international cricket — Jhulan, who made her international debut against England at Chennai in 2002, represented India in 12 Tests, 204 ODIs and 68 T20Is picking 355 wickets across formats, the most by any bowler in women’s international cricket.

“With Jhulan announcing her retirement from international cricket, an era has come to an end. She took immense pride in representing India and always put her best foot forward as she served Indian cricket with distinction.”

“She was the leader of India...

Mumbai, Sep 25 (Ians) Former India women’s team skipper Mithali Raj led the tributes to veteran India pace bowler Jhulan Goswami who retired from international cricket on Saturday, saying her longevity was beyond compare.

Indian women’s cricket team gave a fitting farewell to the legendary bowler in her last international game, with a 16-run victory in a low-scoring third and final T20I and 3-0 series whitewash over England at Lord’s.

Mithali, who shared the dressing room with Jhulan for more than two decades being part of several memorable campaigns, took to social media to wish the India quick on her retirement from international cricket.

Mithali, who herself retired earlier this year following more than 20 years of donning the India jersey, posted an image of herself with Jhulan in India team blazers and wrote, “Her (Jhulan’s) longevity as a fast bowler in women’s cricket is beyond belief.

Considered as one of the greatest cricketers to have ever played the game, Jhulan, currently the leading wicket-taker in women’s international cricket, made her India debut through an Odi in January 2002 against England in Chennai.

20 years later, with her tally currently sitting at 352 wickets across all formats, 253 of which have come in 203 ODIs, Jhulan has a chance to add more to it when she walks out at the iconic home of cricket for one last time in international cricket.

Her retirement comes nearly three months after her long-time team-mate, legendary batter and captain Mithali Raj, walked away from the international arena.

Excerpts:

Q. Could you talk about how you came to the decision to end your international career in England?

A. Last two years, I was thinking about it. The (Odi) World Cup was postponed due to Covid-19, and I was just thinking each and every series is my...

London, Sep 23 (Ians) After sealing an Odi series victory in England after 23 years, India will now be aiming to give a winning send-off to legendary pacer Jhulan Goswami when they face England in the final match at Lord’s on Saturday.

Apart from giving Jhulan a fitting farewell from international cricket, India would want to make the occasion more memorable by securing a historic clean sweep in ODIs on English soil and convert 2-0 lead into 3-0 scoreline.

Saturday’s match at Lord’s will also be the first time both India and England will be playing at the iconic venue since meeting in a thrilling 2017 Odi World Cup final, where the hosts emerged victorious by just nine runs.

It is believed that retiring from international cricket on the field is something which many cricketers don’t get in their lifetime. But for Jhulan, a bonafide legend of the game,...

One hopes to see the Indian women’s team on the Lord’s balcony, very much in the style of Kapil Dev’s victorious 1983 World Cup side. The image of that victory is still etched in the minds of millions of Indian cricket fans and has been the inspiration for young Indian boys to take up the sport seriously.

The India team in 1971, after their first-ever Test series win in England, showcased a similar sight of their captain Ajit Wadekar waving to the fans below the famous Oval balcony, acknowledging their win then. That too was a moment which became synonymous with the phrase "the renaissance of Indian cricket".

The present Indian women’s side has a buzz about it that one has not heard in the sides before. The comforting hand of the Indian cricket board (Bcci) on their shoulders has played a significant role in Indian women cricketers...

Canterbury, Sep 21 (Ians) Star opener Smriti Mandhana on Wednesday became the quickest India women’s player and the third quickest Indian after Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli to complete 3000 Odi runs during her team’s second Odi against England, here.

While Dhawan completed 3000 Odi runs in 72 innings, Kohli did so in 75 innings. Mandhana took one more innings than Kohli, reaching the milestone in her 76th innings.

The left-handed opener, who made her Odi debut in 2013, has five hundreds and 24 fifties in the format, and is the third India women’s player after Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur to reach the 3000-run mark in the format. In terms of quickest Indian women cricketer, Mandhana surpassed former skipper Mithali who had achieved the feat of 3000 runs in 88 innings.

A total of 22 women’s players have over 3000 Odi runs, but only two have gotten to the landmark quicker than Mandhana — Belinda Clark (62 innings...

Mumbai, Aug 31 (Ians) India women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur has said the team would like to create some “great moments” for retiring pace bowler Jhulan Goswami, who is expected to play her farewell match at Lord’s on September 24.

The 39-year-old Jhulan will follow Mithali Raj into retirement, after the veteran India cricketer had called it a day in June, bringing an end to a glorious 23-year career.

India are scheduled to play a white-ball fixture against England, comprising three T20Is followed by an equal number of ODIs, with the series concluding at Lord’s on September 24.

Harmanpreet, who took over the captaincy from Mithali, said she is eyeing a fitting farewell for Jhulan. When Harmanpreet made her international debut in March 2009, Jhulan was India’s captain.

“When I debuted, she (Jhulan) was the captain and it is a great opportunity for me to lead the last Odi she plays,...

Dubai, Aug 26 (Ians) India women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has joined young opener Shafali Verma in the International Cricket Council’s “100 per cent Cricket Superstars” list released on Friday.

Shafali Verma, England’s Sophie Ecclestone, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, West Indies’ Hayley Matthews and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt were the first crop of what will ultimately be a “100 per cent Cricket Superstars” squad that fans can pick from to decide on a final XI.

On Friday, the Icc added five more players who are part of the initiative — Mandhana, Fatima Sana (Pakistan), Ashleigh Gardner (Australia), Sophia Dunkley (England), and Gaby Lewis (Ireland).

Mandhana, 26, is close to completing a decade in international cricket. She has established herself as one of the most complete all-format players around the globe. Her record speaks for itself, combining aggression at the top of the order along with a heavy penchant for scoring some big runs.

New Delhi, Aug 15 (Ians) Leading India current and former cricketers, including Shikhar Dhawan, Mithali Raj, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, took to social media to congratulate the country on its 75th Independence Day, which is being celebrated as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

Former India captain Mithali Raj posted images on social media in traditional attire, holding the Tricolour and wrote, “Our flag is our pride! The tricolour flying high is a sight that fills the heart of every Indian with joy. Hoisted the Tiranga at my residence today. #HarGharTiranga #AmritMahotsav.”

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar posted a video showing him hoisting the Tricolour at his residence and wrote, “Dil mein bhi Tiranga, ghar par bhi Tiranga.”

Shikhar Dhawan, who is leading the side in the three-match One-day International series against Zimbabwe beginning August 18, tweeted his wishes to the nation with a short video, while former India captain Virat Kohli wrote, “75 glorious years.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues were ticking along nicely; the skipper playing a captain’s knock in the big final while her younger partner was giving the support she needed in the chase of 166. But from there, Australia made a comeback into the match. Jemimah’s leg-stump was uprooted by Megan Schutt and in the next over, Pooja Vastrakar (five-ball duck) as well as Harmanpreet (attempting a scoop) fell on successive deliveries.

That sinking feeling arrived yet again. Not for the first time for India. In 2017, Harmanpreet had scored a fifty alongside Punam Raut, who top-scored with 86, in the Odi World Cup final against England at Lord’s. But as Harmanpreet fell, India too fell nine runs short of the target of 229, with the last seven wickets falling for 28 runs.

From there, the Indian challenge just nosedived and were eventually all out for 152 in 19.3 overs, as last eight wickets fell for 34 runs.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues were ticking along nicely; the skipper playing a captain’s knock in the big final while her younger partner was giving the support she needed in the chase of 166. But from there, Australia made a comeback into the match. Jemimah’s leg-stump was uprooted by Megan Schutt and in the next over, Pooja Vastrakar (five-ball duck) as well as Harmanpreet (attempting a scoop) fell on successive deliveries.

That sinking feeling arrived yet again. Not for the first time for India. In 2017, Harmanpreet had scored a fifty alongside Punam Raut, who top-scored with 86, in the Odi World Cup final against England at Lord’s. But as Harmanpreet fell, India too fell nine runs short of the target of 229, with the last seven wickets falling for 28 runs.

From there, the Indian challenge just nosedived and were eventually all out for 152 in 19.3 overs, as last eight wickets fell for 34 runs.

New Delhi, July 25 (Ians) Legendary India batter and former captain Mithali Raj has hinted at coming out of retirement to play in the inaugural edition of the women’s Ipl. The inaugural edition of the women’s Ipl, which could be a six-team event, is assumed to be launched next year. Mithali, who had announced her […]...

Mumbai, June 28 (Ians) ‘Fateh’, the first song from the Taapsee Pannu-starrer biopic ‘Shabaash Mithu’, was released on Tuesday. The track, composed by Salvage Audio Collective & Charan, tells the story of grit and determination showcased in the film which is based on the life of iconic cricketer Mithali Raj. The song embodies the spirit […]...

New Delhi, June 26 (Ians) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called Mithali Raj an inspiration to many and conveyed his best wishes to the legendary former Indian skipper who announced her retirement earlier this month. Having made her debut as a 16-year-old in 1999, Mithali’s career spanned nearly 23 years across four different decades […]...

A new poster from Taapsee Pannu’s Mithali Raj biopic ‘Shabaash Mithu’ was released on Friday. It shows Taapsee’s character holding the cricket bat as she prepares to step on the field with her back facing the camera. The film is based on the life of Mithali Dorai Raj, the celebrated skipper of the Indian women’s […]...

As veteran India batter Mithali Raj announced her retirement from cricket, actress Taapsee Pannu, who is all set to play the renowned cricketer in the upcoming film ‘Shabaash Mithu’, has penned a heartwarming note. Taapsee took to Twitter, where she shared a black and white picture with Raj and wrote: “-Youngest Odi captain for Indian […]...