It has been a summer of cricket to remember for Australia Women as they whitewashed their biggest rivals England Women 16-0 in the 2024-25 Ashes series. The hosts sealed the trophy with a massive victory by an innings & 122 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Alana King was named player of the series having taken 23 wickets, nine in the Test match, at an average of 11.17 to equal Ash Garnder's record, when she picked 23 wickets in the 2023 Ashes series.

Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), putting relentless pressure on the visitors.

Nat Sciver-Brunt top scored in the first innings with 51 runs in what was another faulty performance by England with the bat. Alana grabbed four wickets to her name and was accompanied by two wickets each for Kim Garth and Darcie Brown to bundle England out for 170.

In reply Annabel Sutherland, who was named the Player of the Match in the one-off Test match, etched her name into history on Day Two of the Test, becoming the first woman to score a Test century at the iconic venue. The young all-rounder played a masterful knock of 163 off 258 balls.

Yuvraj Singh, one of cricket’s greatest southpaws, will represent India Masters in season one of the International Masters League (IML), which will be played from February 22 to March 16.

A name synonymous with glory and game-changing moments, Yuvraj was one of the chief architects of India’s victory in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, during which he famously smashed Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over. He also played a pivotal role in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, where he was crowned Player of the Tournament for his outstanding all-round performance.

Speaking on his return to cricket as part of the India Masters team, Yuvraj Singh said, "Taking the field with Sachin and my other teammates feels like reliving the glory days. Playing alongside all of them brings back so many memories. For me, the IML is a tribute to the era that defined Indian cricket, and I can’t wait to create some more unforgettable memories for all the fans who have supported us over the years."

Joining him in the IML’s family of cricketing masters are South Africa’s JP Duminy and Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga, who will represent their respective nations.

Hardik Pandya (53) and Shivam Dube (53) produced a counter-attacking partnership to rescue India from a precarious position and push them to a competitive 181/9 in 20 overs after Saqib Mahmood's (3 for 35) against England in the fourth T2OI at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

The final 10 overs saw a remarkable turnaround, with the duo stitching together a crucial stand, launching a blistering attack on England’s pace battery before late wickets halted the momentum.

Jofra Archer began the proceedings with a lively first over, conceding a six and a four to Abhishek Sharma. However, it was Saqib Mahmood who stole the show, registering a historic triple-wicket maiden, the first-ever in men’s T20 internationals.

Former champions Mumbai inched closer to a dominant win over Meghalaya, posting a massive 671/7 before declaring on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy Group A clash at Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Bandra Kurla Complex on Friday. In other matches, Kerala thrashed Bihar while Madhya Pradesh rode on twin double centuries to reach a massive score against Uttar Pradesh and Bengal, Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu take a strong position against their respective opponents on the second day of their matches.

In Mumbai, centuries by Siddhesh Lad (145), Akash Anand (103), and Shams Mulani (100*), along with valuable knocks from Ajinkya Rahane (96) and Shardul Thakur (84), powered them to a first-innings lead of 585. Meghalaya struggled in response, reaching 27/2 in their second innings at stumps. They were bowled out for just 86 in their first innings.

Kerala vs Bihar

Jalaj Saxena’s twin five-wicket hauls ensured Kerala’s innings and 169 runs victory over Bihar inside two days. After adding 49 runs to their overnight total, Kerala’s disciplined bowling skittled out Bihar twice in under 65 overs, with only six batters managing double digits across both innings.

England’s pace sensation Saqib Mahmood etched his name in history with a breathtaking triple-wicket maiden, the first-ever in men’s T20 internationals, dismantling India’s top order in a single over in the fourth T2OI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Mahmood steamed in for his first over of the match with England employing a short-ball strategy, the pressure was on India’s batters from the start. Sanju Samson was the first to fall, mistiming a pull shot straight to Brydon Carse at deep square leg and departed at a score of one run.

Tilak Varma followed immediately, slicing his very first delivery to Jofra Archer, who took a sharp catch at short third to depart on duck. The drama intensified when Suryakumar Yadav, known for his 360-degree stroke play, chipped a rising delivery straight to short mid-wicket, where Carse took his second catch of the over and got out for a four-ball duck. Suryakumar Yadav has had a tough series so far. In four innings, he has scored just 12 and 14 runs in two matches, while getting out for ducks in the other two. Sanju Samson has also not been in great form throughout the series.

Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and elegant batter Smriti Mandhana are set to be conferred with the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer in the men's and women's categories, respectively for their stellar performances in 2023–24, on Saturday.

Bumrah, who was also named the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year, has been a pivotal force in India's success across all formats. His ability to produce match-winning spells under pressure saw him play a crucial role in India’s home Test series victories against England and Bangladesh and led to him becoming the first Indian pacer to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award.

Bumrah's masterclass in skill, precision, and relentless consistency was widely lauded in 2024. His performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where he scalped 32 wickets, further cemented his place as India's premier fast bowler.

The crowd at Arun Jaitley Stadium on the second day was awaiting a Virat Kohli special, but they were treated to fantastic fifties by Delhi captain Ayush Badoni and all-rounder Sumit Mathur as the hosts took a 93-run lead after reaching 334/7 in 96 overs at stumps on Saturday.

On a day Kohli made just six in his return to the first-class competition after more than 12 years, Badoni treated the crowd to a superb show of batsmanship by making 99, laced with 12 fours and three towering sixes off coming just 77 balls. He also became the fourth batter of the ongoing round to be out in the 90s after Upendra Yadav, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane. On the other hand, Mathur was solid in staying at the crease for long while hitting seven fours to be unbeaten on 78 off 189 balls. The duo was also involved in a 133-run stand for the fifth wicket to bail Delhi out of trouble on a pitch that had started to show signs of variable bounce.

Day Two’s play began with Delhi surging ahead quickly, as Railways bowlers’ were not at their consistent best in their lines and lengths in the first 50 minutes. Though the bowlers drew some edges and were involved in some lbw shots, there were no rewards for them as Yash Dhull got three fours off Himanshu Sangwan. On the other hand, Sanat Sangwan, despite being edgy, got a couple of boundaries under his kitty, as he raised the fifty of his partnership with Dhull. But in the 24th over, was trapped lbw on 32 by Rahul Sharma, and it brought Kohli to the crease, with the crowd giving him a rousing reception.

After dominating the first two and a half days of the opening Test against Sri Lanka, Australia found itself battling an unexpected adversary — Galle’s unpredictable sub-tropical weather. Despite securing a commanding 518-run lead, Australia's hopes of wrapping up a quick victory were dampened as relentless rain washed out most of Day Three.

Play was curtailed shortly before lunch as a heavy downpour halted the proceedings, leaving Sri Lanka at 136/5 in response to Australia’s mammoth 654/6 (dec). Despite the one-sided nature of the contest, the persistent showers have placed the match’s outcome in doubt, with Australia needing 15 more wickets but running out of game time. Only 27 overs of play were possible on Friday, forcing Australia to rethink its strategy for the remainder of the match. While the idea of enforcing the follow-on was initially unlikely — given the short turnaround before the second Test on February 6 — it now seems like a realistic option as Australia looks to capitalise on whatever play remains.

With further showers expected on Day Four, Australia will have to act quickly to force a result, though the forecast for Day Five appears more favorable. The visitors had been relentless with the ball, in stark contrast to Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, which toiled through 153 overs for six wickets on the first two days. Mitchell Starc set the tone for the morning with a maiden over, as Australia’s disciplined bowling attack stifled Sri Lanka’s scoring rate.

As part of the National Road Safety Month 2025, authorities in Gujarat have taken strict action against unauthorised parking, collecting over Rs 2 crore in fines from more than 44,000 violators.

This initiative is part of a larger effort to improve road safety and reduce accidents across the state, officials shared. To enhance public awareness of traffic regulations and prevent road accidents, the National Road Safety Authority conducted a month-long campaign from January 1 to January 31, 2025.

The campaign focused on educating citizens, enforcing traffic rules, and addressing key causes of accidents, such as overspeeding, lack of vehicle reflectors, and illegal parking.

A survey conducted by traffic authorities found that a significant number of accidents occur due to vehicles being rear-ended, malfunctioning tail or brake lights, overspeeding, wrong-side driving, and a lack of reflective stickers on vehicles. Additionally, illegal roadside parking was identified as a major contributor to accidents, prompting strict enforcement and fines. To reduce accidents, a special road safety drive was launched across Gujarat.

Defending champions India thrashed England by 9 wickets in the ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup semifinal at the Bayuemas Oval on Friday to set up a summit clash with South Africa.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, England got off to a strong start led by Davina Perrin and skipper Abigale Norgrove. But the Indian bowlers turned the game around in the second half and restricted England to 113/8 in 20 overs.

In response, riding on G Kamilini's half-century knock of 56, India chased down the target in 15 overs and paved their way to the final, scheduled to be played against South Africa on Sunday.

Batting first, England got off to a flying start in the semi-final as Davina Perrin's 45 off 40 balls, featuring two massive sixes and four boundaries, and skipper Abi Norgrove's 30 off 25 deliveries, including three fours and a six, powered England to 73-2 at the halfway mark.