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  • Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs NZ Stats Preview, Final – Player records and approaching milestones

    Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs NZ Stats Preview, Final – Player records and approaching milestones

    Match Overview

    India and New Zealand will take each other on in the final of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Both teams have had slightly contrasting paths to the final. India are unbeaten in the tournament so far while New Zealand have lost just one match. 

    This match will also hold heavier stakes than the group stage encounter between the teams in this tournament which was effectively a dead rubber. 

    India’s performance in the semi-final 

    India were given the toughest fight they got all tournament in their semifinal against Australia. Australia started strongly during the field restrictions, but India clawed their way back in with timely strikes. Steve Smith’s half century kept the Kangaroos in the hunt throughout the middle overs, and Alex Carey made a blitzed half century to keep the Aussie charge going. India eventually got the strikes at the death to keep Australia to a low total.

    Also Read: India vs New Zealand, Final – Top 3 player battles to watch out for

    Rohit Sharma charged hard and fast, but India ended up losing two wickets in the powerplay. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer then stitched an important partnership that kept India going in the chase one single at a time. Even though the asking rate seemed to be increasing, Kohli’s partnerships with Axar Patel and KL Rahul gave India the perfect platform to close out the match in the death overs with Hardik Pandya launching his trademark sixes at the end. 

    New Zealand’s performance in the semi-final 

    New Zealand were as comprehensive as they have been all tournament in brushing South Africa aside. Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson made hundreds that set it up for Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips to make a strong finish that led New Zealand to the highest team total in the Champions Trophy. 

    South Africa were hampered by a slowdown that eventually let their chase down. Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen put up a partnership, but once Mitchell Santner broke that stand, the rest of the Protea line-up fell like ninepins. David Miller then unleashed his monster mode and even though he knew he was fighting a lost battle, ended up with the fastest century in the Champions Trophy off the last ball of the innings. 

    India and New Zealand’s group stage encounter

    India and New Zealand also faced each other in the last group stage encounter of the tourrnament where India blew away the Kiwis. India had started poorly even being 30/3 at one point, before Shreyas Iyer lifted India to what looked like a competitive total in the company of Axar Patel and later Hardik Pandya. Matt Henry’s fifer made sure India did not get away with too much. 

    New Zealand’s start in the powerplay was mostly quiet, but once India’s spinners took over in the middle overs, it was curtains. Varun Chakravarthy’s fifer neutralised Kane Williamson’s 81 as the Kiwi batters found themselves unable to cope with the ever-increasing asking rate.

    Also Read: First look of Dubai pitch for India vs New Zealand final out

    Here are some important stats for India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 clash: 

    Indian Players’ Approaching Milestones: 

    • Virat Kohli: Needs 95 runs to become India’s highest run-getter in ODIs against New Zealand. 
    • Virat Kohli: Needs 74 runs to complete 3,000 runs against New Zealand in international cricket. 
    • Virat Kohli: Needs 46 runs to become the highest run scorer in Champions Trophy history. 
    • Virat Kohli: Needs 55 runs to become the second-highet run getter in ODIs ever.
    • Rohit Sharma: Needs 3 runs to complete 1,000 ODI runs against New Zealand. 
    • Shreyas Iyer: Needs 10 runs to complete 1,000 international runs against New Zealand. 
    • KL Rahul: Needs 81 runs to score 1,000 runs in ICC ODI events. 

    New Zealand Players’ Approaching Milestones: 

    • Daryl Mitchell: Needs 19 runs to complete 1,000 runs in ICC limited-over tournaments.

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  • Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ, Semi-final 2 – Quotes and Reactions | CricTracker

    Champions Trophy 2025: SA vs NZ, Semi-final 2 – Quotes and Reactions | CricTracker

    New Zealand claimed a 50-run victory over South Africa in the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. They will now be taking on India in the final of the ninth edition of the marquee ODI tournament on Sunday, March 9.

    Composed centuries off the bats of Rachin Ravindra (108) and Kane Williamson (102) lay the platform for Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips to rack up crucial 49-run knocks off 37 and 27 deliveries, respectively. Lungi Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers from the Proteas’ bowling unit, claiming a three-wicket haul while conceding 72 runs in his 10-over quota.

    Coming to the run-chase, Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen stitched up a vital stand for the second wicket. Both of them got to their respective fifties, and seemed like a big threat. However, a brilliant spell from Mitchell Santner was enough to place the opponents on the back foot. A valiant David Miller held the fort on his own to play an outworldly knock in a losing cause, racking up a well-deserved ton on the final delivery of the game. 

    Talking Points

    1. Rachin Ravindra’s love affair with ICC events continues

    Rachin’s classic 101-ball knock meant he had more centuries (5) in ICC ODI tournaments than a list of legends of the game like Sanath Jayasuriya, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, and Steve Waugh, to name a few.

    2. Mitchell Santner’s web of destruction proves brutal for South Africa

    Santner’s guile was too hot to handle for South Africa. He dismissed the well-set Bavuma and van der Dussen before picking up the big wicket of Heinrich Klaasen. Santner’s exquisite 10-over spell yielded figures of 3/43.

    3. David Miller delivers another knockout gem

    Be it the semi-finals of the 2015 and 2023 editions of the Cricket World Cup or the final of the T20 World Cup 2024, Miller has always stood tall. This game was yet another display of his sheer brilliance. Unfortunately, like previous exhibitions, this knock too came in a losing cause. Miller’s 67-ball ton was the fastest in the history of the tournament.

    Also Check: Twitter Reactions: South Africa choke again as New Zealand prepare themselves for India in Dubai finale

    Who Said What?

    Player of the Match, Rachin Ravindra

    Great feeling to contribute to an emphatic win in a semi-final. I didn’t start as well as I wanted, SA bowled well, but once we got going it was nice build partnerships with Kane and Young. It was nice to go with the ebbs and flows of one-day cricket. We were thinking around 300 as cutters were holding, and SA were getting bounce, but then the game started accelerating nicely, and Glenn and Mitchell finished great. Thing with tournament cricket is what’s next and then what. Important to soak in the win today, celebrate the team together and get around each other. Once we get to Dubai we’ll switch back on.

    Winning captain, Mitchell Santner

    It’s a pretty good feeling, today we were challenged by a good side, we will head to Dubai where we already faced India earlier. We will rest and will go again. It was holding a bit in the first innings but Rachin and WIlliiamson set the stage and the guys finishing it put the icing on the cake. We took wickets in the middle overs and made it tough for the opposition. What we speak as a group is to apply pressure and take wickets in the middle. Michael Bracewell bowled really well in the last game to take a 4-fer. It was really pleasing for me to take three scalps today. It makes my job easier, we have four all-rounders who can bowl spin and they can bat as well. Rachin’s five overs were great, have to wait and see how Matt Henry’s shoulder is. It’s a bit sore, we have to wait for a couple of days and see. (On Williamson) He keeps doing it, that partnership was massive for us, he was able to keep going in the middle phase, South Africa challenged us but we were able to cash in and score 360. We felt 320 might not be enough. (On their loss against India in Dubai) Being there and being put under pressure was good. I think the bowlers bowled well to chip wickets at the top. I think winning the toss will be nice as well.

    Losing captain, Temba Bavuma

    (On the target) I do think it was above-par. Probably if it was 350, we would have backed ourselves to chase the score. We had one or two partnerships today but we needed me or Rassie to go on and emulate what two of their batters did. They really put us under pressure from the word go, the way they were able to pierce the off-side at the start and the way they played in the middle overs. Kudos to them, credit to their batters, Rachin and Williamson and even the batters who came in, Mitchell and Phillips. We were 125/1 and me and Rassie were still batting. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to set that foundation for them. A bit of a soft dismissal for me and a better dismissal for Rassie and we left too much for them in the end. Like I said in the beginning, like I mentioned that we were 125/1, we had to be more decisive, not give an opportunity for the opposition to come back and being ruthless. We needed to take care of the key moments in the game.

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  • Cricket without IPL: What if the IPL never existed? | CricTracker

    Cricket without IPL: What if the IPL never existed? | CricTracker

    India’s mega cricket carnival The IPL has transformed the modern world of cricket since its advent in 2008. Hence, imagining a world without its existence would mean a topsy-turvy landscape of the current scenario in many aspects. Hence, let us peep into the global impact of one of the most entertaining and watched cricketing events of the world in this article.

    Impacting emerging talents

    Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo Source: Twitter/X)

    The Indian platform has provided immense opportunities to a plethora of young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya to name a few, who went on to serve Indian cricket for quite a long. Now imagining them making it to the national side was far from easy. In fact, many players have scored a truckload of runs in the domestic circuit but failed to break into the Indian team for various reasons. Therefore, the IPL has been a blessing in disguise for Indian cricket in terms of watching some of the stars rising to prominence way quicker than expected.

    Economic prosperity

    IPL Valuation
    IPL Valuation (Photo Source: Brand Finance)

    The cash-rich league has significantly changed the financial aspect of the country as a whole and in cricket globally. It is due to the IPL, many jobs were created in terms of tourism and hospitality along with mind-boggling broadcasting deals and sponsorships. Furthermore, the overall brand value of the league has been on a meteoric rise since 2009, as depicted in the above data chart until 2024 as per Brand Finance. Besides, the infrastructure of cricket in the country got a massive push and turnaround in the form of better training facilities for players along with the upgradation of stadiums around the country. Hence, if the Indian Premier League did not exist, it would have left Indian cricket aloof and less equipped in the global context.

    Global impact of league on players worldwide

    KKR vs SRH, IPL 2024

    The IPL spread its wings not only on the field but also off it as well. Earlier, foreign players were only used to visiting India for international tours and assignments. This meant that there were a lot of misconceptions about India as a country and also a lack of knowledge of the culture among the foreign players. Moreover, the relations of outsiders with Indian players were somewhat less friendly. However, with the emergence of the IPL, foreign players not only became quite friendly with the Indian players but also loved being in India for a considerable time. Furthermore, the success of the IPL paved the way for other cricket boards to start the T20 leagues around the world which may not have happened without the existence of the Indian cash-rich league.

    Also Check- IPL 2025 Schedule

    Increase in fan engagement with players

    IPL Fans with Ticket
    IPL Fans with Ticket. (Source -Twitter/X)

    What is more incredible about the Indian Premier League is the fact that it brought fans not only from India but also away from home closer by redefining how the fans interact with the game and the players through high-intensity matches with a dose of entertainment in the form of cheerleaders and beyond. Besides, the franchise concept also brought the Indian fans closer to their regional pride in the form of city-based teams.

    Evolving playing style in cricket

    Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma
    Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. (Photo Source: IPL)

    Apart from all the above aspects discussed, modern cricket aka T20 format has totally changed the way cricketers approach their game when compared to before the 2005 era and today. The batters have developed their hitting skills and are playing in a rather unfazed manner by adding some innovative shots and using unusual tactics to keep the opponent on their toes, especially in high-pressure matches. Hence, without the IPL, the game may have still been played on a traditional and slow note with fewer results coming out of the game in rainy situations.

    Conclusion

    The Indian Premier League cricket extravaganza not existing would have a significant impact on the overall global appeal of the game itself. Besides, not only India, other countries too got the idea to develop their talent pool further by finding new players along with entertainment in terms of raining sixes and fours. Though there are many leagues around the world now, the future of cricket was truly shaped by the king of all leagues aka IPL.

    Disclaimer: All the facts are based purely on analysis and study of various sources and do not represent exact data or facts

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  • Harshit Rana Misses India vs New Zealand Match 12: Reasons Explained

    Harshit Rana Misses India vs New Zealand Match 12: Reasons Explained

    India and New Zealand will play the last group-stage match of 2025 Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium on March 2. Both the teams have been unbeaten in the tournament so far and this will be a battle to take the top spot in the group. 

    The last time these two teams faced in an ICC tournament was the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 where the two sides played a high-scoring semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium. The winner of March 2 clash will face Australia while the loser will be up against South Africa.

    Toss Update

    New Zealand won the toss and decided to bowl first. They brought in Daryl Mitchell in place of Devon Conway. On the other hand the Indian team also made an interesting change by bringing in Varun Chakravarthy in place of Harshit Rana.

    Varun Chakarvarthy joins in place of Harshit Rana

    Rohit Sharma confirmed that the team has decided to rest Harshit Rana replaced the pacer with mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who will be making his debut in a 50-over ICC event. The Indian team will go into the match with four spin options in the form of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Chakravarthy.

    What did the captains say at the toss?

    Rohit Sharma (India)

    Was anyway looking to bat first, wanted to see what we could do upfront and then challenge our bowlers since we chased on both games. Approach will be very similar to the previous games, just trying to do the same things. One change for us – Harshit has been rested, Varun is playing for us. It is all about bowling in partnerships, in both games we have combined to pick 19 wickets. Our spinners have restricted them well and then the seamers have got the wickets.

    Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)

    We’ll have a bowl first, looks like a good wicket. Want to put some pressure early and hopefully it skids on well later. We still want to win, we know we are going to be in Lahore later but first task is to do a job here, and challenge ourselves in different conditions. Daryl Mitchell comes in, Conway misses this one.

    Playing XIs: 

    India:

    Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.

    New Zealand:

    Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke.

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  • Champions Trophy 2025: AUS vs AFG Weather Report – What will happen if Australia vs Afghanistan is washed out? – CricTracker

    Champions Trophy 2025: AUS vs AFG Weather Report – What will happen if Australia vs Afghanistan is washed out? – CricTracker

    Rain Washout in AUS vs AFG clash in Champions Trophy 2025

    The all-important Group B encounter between Australia and Afghanistan is set to be played on Friday, February 28 and weather is due to play a key role in deciding fate of the teams in qualifying for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025. A couple of games have already been washed out due to rain and the upcoming match at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium must produce a result for either sides to qualify without depending on others.

    Current Standings in Group B

    • South Africa top the Group B table with three points from a couple of games. Australia also have three points.
    • Afghanistan won the last game against England, which ruled the latter out of the competition.

    Also Check: AUS vs AFG Live Score, Match 10

    Major Scenarios in case of Washout

    1. Australia to qualify, Afghanistan to get knocked out

    • If the match is washed out due to weather reasons, both teams will gain a point each, which will take Australia to the top of the table with four points and confirm their qualification for the semi-finals. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will have to book their return ticket in such case as they won’t be able to surpass South Africa’s net run-rate (NRR) despite both teams having three points.

    2. Winner goes through

    • If the rain interruption does not affect the match result, the winner of the match will go through to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025.

    Also Check: Champions Trophy Points Table 2025

    Conclusion

    A rain delay would confirm Australia and South Africa as the semi-finalists from the Group B, who will face India and New Zealand in the later stages of the tournament. Only a win can help Afghanistan qualify, and thus, they would be hoping for the rain gods to be kind. Even if South Africa lose their upcoming match against England, it won’t matter to them in case the Aussies win over the Afghans. Thus, the Proteas would be hoping for Australia’s win to qualify without caring much about the result of their own match.

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  • PAK vs BAN ODI Stats & Records at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan

    PAK vs BAN ODI Stats & Records at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan

    Pakistan (PAK) will face Bangladesh (BAN) in the 9th match of the Champions Trophy 2025 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on February 27 at 2:30 PM. Both teams have lost their first two matches and are already out of tournament contention. Nevertheless, they are determined to salvage some pride by securing at least one win and boosting their reputation in a hard-fought contest.

    Also Check: PAK vs BAN Live Scores, Match 9

    Pakistan’s performance in the Tournament

    Pakistan, the host of the Champions Trophy 2025, failed to qualify for the semi-finals after losing both of their opening games. In their first match, the team suffered a heavy defeat against New Zealand in Karachi by 60 runs, leaving their fans disappointed. Their second outing against India in Dubai ended in another loss, where they were beaten by 5 wickets, ultimately knocking themselves out of the tournament. With pride at stake, Pakistan is set to face Bangladesh in a do-or-die clash to redeem itself. Although eliminated from contention, the team is determined to showcase their fighting spirit and restore some honour to their campaign.

    Also Check: PAK vs BAN Dream11 Prediction

    Bangladesh’s performance in first two matches

    Bangladesh also suffered defeats in their opening tournament matches. In their first encounter, they played against India in Dubai, setting a respectable total of 228 runs, which India chased down comfortably by 6 wickets. In the following match against New Zealand at Rawalpindi on a batting-friendly pitch, Bangladesh once again failed to post a competitive total. Losing the game by 5 wickets, the Bangladeshi team found themselves eliminated from the tournament, marking another disappointing chapter in their campaign.

    ODI Stats and Records at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan

    Drawing on recent domestic matches and the opening fixture of the Champions Trophy 2025 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the pitch appears to favor the batsmen. Consequently, an abundance of runs is expected.

    Matches Played

    27
    Matches Won Batting First 

    12
    Matches Won Batting Second 15
    Matches With No Result 00
    Matches Tied 00
    Average First Innings Score 218
    Highest Team Total  337
    Highest Total Successfully Chased  337

    Top player battles to watch out for in PAK vs BAN:

    Babar Azam vs Mustafizur Rahman

    Babar Azam vs Mustafizur Rahman. (Photo Source – Getty Images)

    Babar Azam, one of the classy batters in world cricket, is currently a bit out of form, and Mustafizur Rahman’s array of cutters and slower deliveries may trouble him. Consequently, a high-quality clash between the two is anticipated.

    Shaheen Afridi vs Najmul Hossain Shanto

    Shaheen Afridi vs Najmul Hossain Shanto.
    Shaheen Afridi vs Najmul Hossain Shanto. (Photo Source – Getty Images)

    Shaheen Afridi’s swinging deliveries during the powerplay could pose a significant challenge for Bangladesh’s young captain, Najmul Hossain, who has been in fine form in the second match against New Zealand at the same ground.

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  • Champions Trophy 2025: Australia vs England, Match 4 – Quotes and Reactions

    Champions Trophy 2025: Australia vs England, Match 4 – Quotes and Reactions

    Australia got their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign off to a wonderful start by emerging victorious by five wickets and 15 deliveries to spare in a record-breaking run-chase against England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. 

    Ben Duckett and Joe Root forged a vital partnership together after the fall of a couple of early wickets for England within the powerplay. Duckett continued to amass 165, and was only dismissed at the fag end of the innings. His special knock off 143 deliveries was one of the main reason his side ended up on 351 in the first innings. Ben Dwarshuis secured a three-wicket haul.

    Coming to the second innings, Australia’s start followed a similar template in comparison to their opponents. They too lost a couple of wickets within the first 10 overs. Marnus Labuschagne stuck around with Matthew Short, putting on a crucial stand for the third wicket. However, both the batters were dismissed within a short span of time for 63 and 47, respectively. From that point, it was all about the Josh Inglis-Alex Carey show, as they dispatched the English all around. Inglis ended up remaining at the crease till the end, registering an unbeaten 120.    

    Talking Points from Match 4 of Champions Trophy 2025:

    1. Ben Duckett puts up stunning showing  

    The swashbuckling southpaw was arguably the only batter in the English setup who looked well-accustomed with conditions and the opposition bowling attack. His 165 came at a decent rate too. It was a majestic knock which comprised 17 fours and three maximums.

    2. Josh Inglis stamps authority with stunning maiden ODI ton

    The Australian wicketkeeper-batter showed the cricket fraternity why he was there to stay in the Australian 50-over lineup. He stood tall throughout the run-chase, staying till the end to stroke a brilliantly-paced century – his first in the format in 26 innings. 

    3.  Milestones topple left and right

    Australia’s 352-run chase was, as mentioned above, the highest successful chase in ICC ODI events. Other than that, it was also the highest total in Champions Trophy (batting first or second), the highest successful chase against England, the second-highest successful chase by Australia, and the second-highest successful chase on Pakistan soil.

    Also Check: Twitter Reactions from ENG vs AUS, Match 4 Champions Trophy 2025

    Who Said What?

    Losing skipper, Jos Buttler

    Fantastic game, both sides played really well. We put on a really good score there. Credit to Australia. Fantastic innings there from Josh Inglis to see his side home. I think 350 you would take that at the start. pretty good score. Dew was a worry and it was wet. Whatever happens with the conditions, to chase down 350 is a fantastic effort. He (Duckett) played brilliantly. He’s been brilliant at the top of the order in all the formats. He can be incredibly consistent in this format. Delighted for him with the way he played. Just a shame it is in a losing cause. Rather focus on partnerships than individuals. Take the focus off yourself and work on getting those big partnerships. Root and Duckett did that. I thought those two (Root and Livingstone) bowled really well today. They created chances. Credit to Australia. We tried to find ways to break that partnership Inglis and Carey earlier but just couldn’t manage it. Sometimes you have to give credit to the opposition. Absolutely (confident), immense belief in the guys.

    Winning skipper, Steve Smith

    I thought the guys were outstanding from the outset. Short played beautifully up top. Travis and I were the only two to miss out and the middle order did a tremendous job. Really pleased. Regardless of what team we have, we would have bowled first knowing how wet it got when we trained the other night and this evening. Looked easiest to bat at the back end. I thought it slowed up in the end in the first innings and I thought 350 was chaseable. For a moment it looked like they were probably gonna get over 400, we were pleased by that effort and knew we could chase this if we batted 50 overs. Trusting each others’ skills, boys did a really good job, took pace off at the right times, hit hard lengths and controlled at the back end of the game. Marnus bowled nicely at the back end. The two keepers have been batting beautifully for a while now. They are both in great form. Josh hits the ball all along the ground and has all the shots, Was an amazing effort from Inglis and Alex played beautifully as well. Really pleased with the team effort.

    Player of the Match, Josh Inglis

    Over the moon, great win. We knew it was going to be tough coming up against England, it always is. 350 – a lot of things have to go right to chase that down. Really pumped on a personal level. For the guys out there, it was a great performance. There wasn’t too much (talk) at the halftime. We’d done a lot of talking before the game. We knew that second half here is going to be tough with all the dew. it’s quite wet now. It was always going to be better for us batting second. He (Carey) doesn’t really say anything when he bats, just a few words here and there. I was trying not to look at the scoreboard too much. We were going so well that we just need to keep chipping away. We knew with Maxi still in the sheds, there’d always be a chance. I still think that their part-time options are very handy, Livi and Rooty have bowled a lot in international cricket, you can’t not respect their bowling. I tried to be proactive. At the back end, we knew it’d skid on nicely. Short, sharp tournament, to go 1 from 1 is really important, we’ll recover and look forward to the next game.

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  • Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan vs New Zealand, Match 1 – Who Said What?

    Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan vs New Zealand, Match 1 – Who Said What?

    The Dark horses aka New Zealand (NZ) emerged as comfortable victors over Pakistan (PAK) in the curtain-raiser of the Champions Trophy 2025, winning the game by 60 runs at the National Stadium, in Karachi. 

    A positive start by the tourists faced a brief hindrance after the dismissal of Devon Conway and Kane Williamson within a short span of time. However, a couple of tons from Will Young and Tom Latham and a quickfire 61 by Glenn Phillps led New Zealand to 320/5 in their quota. Abrar Ahmed was the most economical bowler, ending up with figures of 1/47. 

    In reply, Pakistan started off too slowly with their batting during the powerplay phase. They only scored 22 runs, losing two wickets in the process. This severely put them behind in the game. Babar Azam’s half-century and Salman Agha’s brisk 42 was not enough. Khushdil Shah top-scored with 69 and kept the Kiwi fielders on their toes. He registered a career-best ODI score of 69. However, it was not meant to be for the home side.

    Talking Points from Match 1 of Champions Trophy 2025:

    1. Will Young revives ODI form with splendid ton

    Young was going through a lean patch in the buildup of the tournament. However, he turned his fortunes with a scintillating ton which comprised 12 fours and a maximum. This was his first ODI ton in overseas conditions.

    2. Pakistan’s death bowling woes continue

    Despite restricting the Black Caps well by the 40-over mark, the Pakistani unit lost the plot in the final 10 overs of the innings. In addition to some superlative power-hitting, the pacers missed their lengths way too often to get smacked for 113 runs.

    3. Michael Bracewell’s brilliance files under the radar

    The off-spinning all-rounder put in yet another economical shift with the ball. Bracewell limited the batters commendably well, something he has been doing consistently for the past many games. He ended up conceding only 38 runs in his 10-over quota.

    Also Check: Twitter Reactions: Young, Latham centuries flattens Pakistan as New Zealand win in Champions Trophy opener

    Who Said What?

    Losing skipper, Mohammed Rizwan

    They made a good target, we didn’t expect that. We were looking at something around 260. We tried our best and used all tactics, but they played well and put up a good target. We see the pitch conditions, earlier the pitch wasn’t easy to bat but when Will Young and Latham got together batted it got easier. At the end, we made the same mistake like we did in Lahore and they made a good target. We didn’t get a good start with the bat. (On the extent of injury to Fakhar Zaman) Not sure yet, he hasn’t got his result yet. He is in some pain. We lost the momentum twice – once while bowling in the death and then while batting in the powerplay. It is disappointing for us, we played it like a normal match. The match is gone now and hopefully we can do better in the rest.

    Winning skipper, Mitchell Santner

    Pleased with the way we went about it. Pakistan bowled well, so in the middle stage when Latham and Young could build a partnership that was great, they scored a few boundaries as well. And then GP came out and smashed it around. We were targetting around 260, but glad we could get more in the death overs. After the score we got, we were brilliant in the first 10 overs, and then we could put the squeeze in, keep that run rate pressure on them and get wickets. (On the Phillips catch) We kind of expect that from him now, and getting Rizwan out was a massive wicket. (On the importance of the previous tri-series) Understanding the conditions and the opposition was crucial. You have to hit a slightly shorter length out here and for spinners, it is about bowling slower. This win shows if we can do the hard yards with the bat, then we can carry on with the ball and put the squeeze on the opposition. 

    Player of the Match, Tom Latham

    Yeah, certainly helps when you played on a surface before. Felt nice to contribute, Will Young played exceptionally and then to get to 320 was just brilliant. When I came in, it was about building a partnership. We could do that and then improve the run rate, and then GP came in and played an exceptional hand once again. Gave us the momentum to get through to the second innings. At the back end, you want to get as many as you can. Glad we could today. There was a lack of dew today so the ball turned quite a bit, it was better to bowl second with conditions like that.

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  • WPL 2025, Match 4: Delhi Capitals Women vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Reactions and Quotes

    WPL 2025, Match 4: Delhi Capitals Women vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Reactions and Quotes

    Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women came out on top by eight wickets with 22 deliveries to spare  against Delhi Capitals Women in Match 4 of the 2025 edition of the Women’s Premier League at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.  

    The Capitals lost track after their batting powerplay, and a gradual downfall ensued. From 60/1, they managed to lose their fifth wicket on a score of 87. They somehow managed to garner 141. As far as the run-chase is concerned, Bengaluru ended their powerplay on a score of 57. They never decelarated regardless of the bowler bowling, and ended up powering towards the target.

    Also Check: Twitter Reactions: Bowlers, Smriti Mandhana power Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women to emphatic victory

    Talking Points from Match 4 of WPL 2025:

    1. Renuka strikes gold

    Renuka Singh was on the money right from the beginning. From dismissing Shafali Verma on the second delivery of the game to containing the batters in her next three overs, it was a flawless bowling effort by the right-armer.

    2. Another middle-order meltdown

    This is the third game in a row which witnessed the middle-order batters imploding in no time. The dismissals of Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen were the telling blows.

    3. Smriti crushes DC-W into smithereens

    Smriti Mandhana took the game away from the Capitals right from the word go. Her blistering 81-run knock, which included the skipper bringing up her fastest WPL fifty, snatched the tiniest of hope which the opposition unit possessed.

    Who Said What?

    Losing skipper, Meg Lanning 

    Not our best night. We got off to a reasonable start. RCB bowled well in the middle phase to peg us back. The batters got in but weren’t able to carry on. RCB were too good. Great fight showed. You just need to find a way to win games. You get to play pretty soon. We will come back better in a couple of days’ time. It did get easier as the night went on. The RCB team took their game to us. The new ball nibbled a little. We were off to a good start. RCB were just too good tonight.

    Winning skipper, Smriti Mandhana

    The bowlers did a great job. Restricting them to under 150 was a great thing. Wyatt was brilliant in batting. The strategy was to bowl more pace but we took the call depending on the situation of the game. This ground never plays the same twice. The way we started was brilliant. As a team, we are proud of our bowlers. Ekta got hit in the first over but came back really well. Me and Danny have batted so many times together. Last game, we were gutted as we couldn’t get a good start. We kept going today and the shots came off today.

    Player of the Match, Renuka Singh

    I have good memories from this ground. I got the Player of the Tournament while playing here. The crowd is really good here as well. I keep working on a lot of things. I have been working on my pace. I want to try out more things. I focus on my body as well. Sometimes, I go wide of the crease. And sometimes to get rhythm, I bowl from close to the wickets as well.

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  • WPL 2025, Match 3: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz Reactions and Quotes

    WPL 2025, Match 3: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz Reactions and Quotes

    Gujarat Giants were successful in chasing down the 144-run target set by UP Warriorz to claim victory by a six-wicket margin and two overs to spare. Despite losing a couple of wickets early on in the run-chase, the batters to follow post the openers expertly managed to tick off the runs.

    As for UP Warriorz, they lost their way in the middle overs after being put in by the hosts. A recovery at the end yielded in them posting 143 for the loss of nine wickets. A few cases of misfielding and sloppy bowling hurt their cause as well.

    Talking Points from Match 3 of WPL 2025:

    1. Priya Mishra spins a web

    Priya Mishra was the pick of the bowlers from both the sides, ending up with figures of 3/25 in her allotted quota. A double-wicket over in which she picked up Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris’ wickets was quite easily the turning point in the first innings.   

    2. Ashleigh Gardner registers second-consecutive half-century

    Ashleigh Gardner led from the front, changing the complexion of the match with her positive batting. Her dynamic innings comprised five fours and three maximums, setting up the platform for the batters to follow to finish the job off with ease. 

    3. Deandra Dottin puts in another impactful showing

    Deandra Dottin played yet another impetus-boosting knock. 33 of the 58 runs in her unbeaten stand with Harleen Deol was due to the seasoned West Indian’s power-packed innings. 

    Also Check: Twitter Reactions: Ashleigh Gardner, middle-order batters get Gujarat Giants off the mark in WPL 2025 

    Who Said What?

    Winning skipper and Player of the Match, Ashleigh Gardner

    Very pleased, we weren’t very far away in the other game. To play this brand of cricket and winning today’s game at home feels special. Our bowlers did a great job and someone like Priya Mishra taking three wickets in just her second WPL game was brilliant. (On her plans with the ball) The stumps hopefully, I feel I probably missed it in a couple of games. If you miss your lengths and lines here, the ball travels. Individual assessment, everyone has their own method to do batting. You see Dottin clears her front leg and whacks sixes and someone like Deol is methodical in her approach. We have a deep batting lineup and hopefully you will see the best of it still. 

    Losing skipper, Deepti Sharma

    I think the target was a bit par. We should have stepped up more as a batting unit, needed a better partnership in the middle overs. We have great bowling strength, as a unit they have done well despite dew being there. I felt we couldn’t execute a few balls today as per our fields, we need to work on those things.

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