Sports

As excitement builds ahead of the IPL 2026 season, all ten franchises have finalized their retentions before the upcoming mini-auction. The spotlight remains firmly on Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant, who continues to hold the title of the most expensive player in IPL history with a staggering ₹27 crore price tag. Reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who lifted their maiden trophy in IPL 2025, have also retained their core group, while other teams have made strategic decisions to strengthen their squads ahead of the auction. Below is the complete list of the most expensive retained players of IPL 2026: Most Expensive Players Retained for IPL 2026 TeamPlayerSalaryLucknow Super Giants (LSG)Rishabh Pant₹27 crorePunjab Kings (PBKS)Shreyas Iyer₹26.75 cror...

Pakistan’s T20 captain and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has set a remarkable record in international cricket, leaving legends like India’s Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, and Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf behind. A Record-Breaking Year for Salman Ali AghaOn 23 November, during the fourth match of the tri-series against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi, Salman Ali Agha played his 54th international match in 2025. This marks the most international matches played by any cricketer in a single calendar year. Surpassing Rahul Dravid and OthersSalman Ali Agha has surpassed Rahul Dravid’s 26-year-old record. Dravid had played 53 international matches in 1999, the previous record for most games in a calendar year. Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf (2000) and India’s former captain MS Dhoni (2007) had also played 53 match...

India’s top-order batsmen struggled in the ongoing second Test against South Africa, prompting former Indian batter Karun Nair to share a cryptic message on social media, which even saw Ravichandran Ashwin react with laughter. South Africa Sets a Big TotalThe second Test of the two-match series is underway at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium. Winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first and scored a massive 489 runs over nearly two days, putting India under pressure. Indian Top Order FaltersOn the third day, India’s top order, including KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja, failed to make an impact, leaving the team struggling to save the innings. Karun Nair’s Cryptic MessageOn 24 November, Karun Nair took to X (formerly Twitter) to post...

New Delhi: The buzz around Indian Premier League 2026 is intensifying as franchises gear up for the upcoming mini-auction on 16 December in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the auction, teams have released their retained and released player lists, and the captaincy for most franchises is now confirmed. Out of 10 teams, 8 have confirmed their captains, while Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to announce their leaders. Here’s the full list: Confirmed Captains: Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the team, retaining captaincy even after Sanju Samson’s arrival. Royal Challengers Bangalore: Rajat Patidar, retained by the franchise, continues as captain after leading RCB to the IPL 2025 title. Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya will captain MI, taking over from Rohit Sharm...

With the IPL 2026 auction approaching, 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Kartik Sharma has become the talk of the town. Known for his power-hitting and fearsome sixes, Kartik has consistently impressed across formats, making him one of the most sought-after young talents ahead of the mini-auction on 16 December. A Platform for Young TalentThe IPL has long been a launchpad for India’s cricketing stars, including Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav, who earned recognition through the league. This season, all eyes are on Kartik Sharma, who has been on a run-scoring spree in the current Ranji Trophy season, amassing 331 runs in 6 innings, including two centuries. Explosive Across FormatsKartik boasts impressive strike rates in all formats: 79 in first-class cricket, 118 in do...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the dates for the T20 World Cup 2026, set to begin on 7 February 2026, with the final scheduled for 8 March 2026. While the official match fixtures are yet to be confirmed, media reports suggest that the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match could take place on 15 February 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Tournament Venues and Key MatchesThe BCCI is reported to have submitted the tentative schedule to the ICC, which is awaiting final approval. According to the plan, the semi-final matches will be held in Mumbai, while the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India’s First Match Against USAIndia is expected to kick off its campaign against the United States. Following the controversy ove...

New Delhi: Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya will miss the upcoming India vs South Africa ODI series due to ongoing injury concerns. Reports confirm that Pandya’s comeback to the Indian team has been postponed, with the BCCI prioritizing his full recovery before he returns to international cricket. ODI Series Absence Pandya was initially expected to make his return during the ODI series, scheduled as follows: 1st ODI: 30 November – Ranchi 2nd ODI: 3 December – Raipur 3rd ODI: 6 December – Visakhapatnam However, the BCCI medical team and team management have decided against rushing him back. They believe that jumping straight into the 50-over format could put excessive strain on his body, which has been out of competitive cricket for almost two months. Revised Comeback...

Islamabad/Lahore: Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman and captain Rashid Latif is facing investigations by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) following his outspoken comments about the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Latif is currently being questioned as part of two ongoing investigations in Islamabad and Lahore. Trigger for Investigation The probe was initiated after Syed Ali Naqvi, senior legal manager at PCB, filed a formal complaint. Latif had repeatedly criticized the leadership changes within Pakistan cricket, including the appointment of Shaheen Shah Afridi as ODI captain. He described it as a “divide and rule policy,” alleging that such strategies exploit divisions among the population based on religion, ethnicity, or class. La...

Guwahati: As Team India prepares for the second Test against South Africa, head coach Gautam Gambhir visited the revered Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati to seek divine blessings ahead of the crucial match. The first Test of the series ended in a loss for India, making victory in the second match, starting 22 November at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium, imperative to save the series. Gambhir’s Devotion to Kamakhya Mata Gautam Gambhir, known for his deep faith, has a long-standing devotion to Maa Kamakhya. He had visited the temple before India’s England tour earlier this year, where the team played a five-match Test series and delivered a strong performance. His visits to the temple have previously coincided with significant cricketing events, including IPL 2024 matches in Guwahati between K...

‘ Kolkata: The Indian cricket team’s shocking defeat in the Kolkata Test has once again put head coach Gautam Gambhir under intense scrutiny, particularly over team selection and leadership decisions. Critics have zeroed in on Gambhir’s controversial comments about a “transition phase,” which many feel indirectly justified the sudden retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket. Former batsman Cheteshwar Pujara had earlier called such explanations “absurd,” asserting that the real issues lie elsewhere. Now, another ex-Indian cricketer, Manoj Tiwari, has weighed in with a strong critique, alleging that this narrative pressured senior players to step away despite their desire to continue. ‘No Place for Transition Narrative in Indian Cricket’ Tiwari told India Tod...