The T20 Mumbai League 2025 finalised icon players for all its teams for the much-awaited third season with India's T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav going to Triumph Knights Mumbai North East, while fellow India player Shreyas Iyer joined SoBo Mumbai Falcons. Known for their accomplishments on both international and domestic stages, these icon players bring exceptional skills and star power that will elevate the profile and competitiveness of their respective teams.

Among the other star players, Mumbai Ranji captain Ajinkya Rahane went to Bandra Blasters; Prithvi Shaw joined North Mumbai Panthers; Shivam Dube set to represent ARCS Andheri; Shardul Thakur taken by Eagle Thane Strikers; Sarfaraz Khan set to play for Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs and Tushar Deshpande joining Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals.

The announcement marks a key milestone ahead of the Season 3 mega auction, scheduled to take place in Mumbai on May 7. Each franchise has signed one icon player for a fixed price of ₹20 lakh, forming the foundation upon which their squads will be built.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Devdutt Padikkal reflected on his transformed approach to T20 batting ahead of their crunch clash against Chennai Super Kings, saying “It’s a mental shift” that has helped him unlock a new level of consistency and explosiveness in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference Padikkal opened up about how a change in mindset and better preparation ahead of the tournament have contributed to his vastly improved strike rate — 154.36 this season, compared to 71 in 2024 and an average in the 120s in the previous editions. “It’s a mental shift that you need to make when you come into T20 cricket. The game has evolved, and you have to keep up. I’ve also worked a lot on the shots I want to play,” Padikkal said.

The 23-year-old left-hander has been a revelation at the No. 3 spot for RCB this year, bringing much-needed stability and intent to the middle-order. And he admitted that having a clear role in the team structure has played a key part in this resurgence.

“It does help when you have some clarity on what your role is. But it’s not just having the role — it’s about going out and executing it under pressure,” he said. “In the last couple of years, I didn’t have too much preparation leading into IPL, and that probably had an effect on my batting. This year, I had that chance to prepare properly, and it’s made a big difference.”

Seamer Malki Madara picked a superb 4-50 in just her second 50-over game, before Harshitha Samarawickrama top-scored with 77 to help Sri Lanka register a five-wicket win over South Africa to grab their first win of the women’s ODI tri-series at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium here on Friday.

Electing to bowl first on a dry pitch, Sri Lanka managed to reduce South Africa to 120/5 in the 29th over, before fast-bowling all-rounder Annerie Dercksen continued to impress in international cricket by hitting an unbeaten 61, her first ODI half-century. She also shared a partnership of 62 for the sixth wicket with Chole Tryon, who made 33.

In Annerie’s knock, her handling of the spinners was a standout factor in taking South Africa to a competitive total. For Sri Lanka, apart from Malki, debutant offspinner Dewmi Vihanga took 3-41 on debut in her ten overs, while Inoka Ranaweera and Sugandika Kumari took a wicket each, as South Africa finished at 235/9 in their 50 overs.

Kolkata Knight Riders batter Ramandeep Singh shared valuable insights into his fitness regimen, nutrition philosophy and daily routines that keep him at peak performance.

Growing up in Chandigarh with an international cyclist as a father gave Ramandeep a head start in understanding nutrition.

"Luckily, I have been blessed with a father who is an international cyclist. So, he has been teaching me a lot about diet from the beginning," Ramandeep revealed in KKR's fitness series 'Train Like a Knight'.

This early education emphasised the importance of non-vegetarian food and dairy products, which have remained staples in his diet.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday that transgender females will not be able to take part in all levels of women’s and girl’s cricket in England and Wales with immediate effect.

Transgender females were barred from playing in top two tiers of elite women’s cricket and The Hundred since the start of this year. But the ECB at that time had permitted them to compete in the tier three of the domestic women’s game and recreational cricket.

But the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on April 15, where it said the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, has meant that the ECB has now changed its policy. ECB, though, said transgender females and girls can continue playing in open and mixed cricket.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) may be languishing at the bottom of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 points table, but batting coach Mike Hussey remains calm and assured that there is no "panic in the camp".

On the eve of CSK's clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the former Australian cricketer made it clear that while results haven’t gone their way this season, the franchise isn't hitting the panic button. Instead, Hussey believes that the team’s struggles have come down to “fine margins,” and that there are enough positives, especially among young players, to suggest a brighter future.

“We're certainly not going to panic and throw everything out just because it hasn't gone well this year,” Hussey said, addressing the press before their upcoming match in Bengaluru. With only four points from 10 games, CSK have officially bowed out of playoff contention, but Hussey insists that a few tactical improvements could’ve flipped their fortunes.

Australia batter Kurtis Patterson has signed up with Surrey for a three-match deal in the ongoing County Championship season. He will be available for Surrey's game against Warwickshire, happening from May 16-19 as well as for their home games against Yorkshire and Essex.

Patterson, who won two Test caps for Australia against Sri Lanka in 2019, comes into the county championship on the back of a successful 2024/25 Sheffield Shield season, where he scored 743 runs for New South Wales at an average of 57.15.

“I’m looking forward to joining Surrey. I’ve always wanted to play county cricket, so I jumped at the chance to represent Surrey when the opportunity presented itself. I’ve heard great things about the environment at Surrey and can’t wait to play in front of the fans at the Kia Oval,” said Patterson in a statement issued by the club on Friday.

On their tour of Australia, the Indian women’s hockey team will be hoping to put in a strong performance in the penultimate match. Up against the Australian senior team, the Women in Blue will have their task cut out and have been working hard to ensure the team’s performances are of high quality.

With one eye on the World Cup next year and the FIH Hockey Pro League in Europe later this year, the Indian team is also trying out new combinations and strategies on this tour of Australia. While India have not registered a win yet on the tour, the final two games represent a big chance to rectify that.

India’s 26-member squad, led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur, have so far played the Australian senior team once, and despite a spirited performance, they were handed a 0-2 defeat by the hosts in Perth. Before the game against the Australian senior side, the Indian team also played a couple of friendlies against the Australia A side, but were not able to register wins despite gritty and determined performances.

Spurs have taken a big step closer to ending their 17-year trophy drought with a 3-1 win over Norwegian side Bodo Glimt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The result extended Tottenham's unbeaten run at home in the Europa League to 14 matches and they will take a two-goal cushion to Aspmyra next week, where their opponents have achieved six wins from their seven home fixtures in this season's competition.

At the starting whistle, Bodo/Glimt made history by becoming the first Norwegian team to play in the semi-finals of a UEFA senior men’s club competition.

But it was Tottenham who got off to the ideal start by taking the lead after just 39 seconds with the fastest goal ever scored in a Europa League semi-final. Pedro Porro's cross found Richarlison, who was making only his second start since returning from injury, and the Brazilian nodded on to Brennan Johnson, who headed in from close range.

The hosts, on a 19-match unbeaten home run in Europe stretching back to the 2019/20 Champions League, doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark. Pedro Porro sent a long ball upfield from inside his own half, which James Maddison took down, controlled and struck in.

Mumbai Indians batter Suryakumar Yadav recently reflected on his debut season for Mumbai Indians in 2011 and said that he “barely slept” the night before the game.

Suryakumar first came into prominence during the 2011–12 Ranji Trophy season, where he emerged as the top scorer for Mumbai with 754 runs in nine matches. His impressive domestic form earned him a spot in the Mumbai Indians squad the same year.

In the 2012 IPL, Suryakumar made his debut for Mumbai Indians against Pune Warriors at the Wankhede Stadium. He played in one match and was dismissed for a duck. This was also the only match he played for MI in that season.

After a brief stint, he moved to Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013 and played a key role in their middle order, contributing to their title win in 2014.