Cricket

Australia, the reigning champions, enter the Women's T20 World Cup as heavy favorites, aiming for their seventh title. Despite the retirement of legendary captain Meg Lanning, the team remains formidable under new skipper Alyssa Healy. Healy, a veteran of all six previous Australian triumphs, acknowledges the challenge ahead but expresses confidence in her team's young talent, highlighting Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield as players to watch.Australia faces stiff competition from India and New Zealand in their group. India, buoyed by the success of the Women's Premier League, boasts a strong squad led by Harmanpreet Kaur. New Zealand, under the leadership of Sophie Devine, who will step down after the tournament, aims to improve upon their runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2023.South Africa, who lost to Australia in last year's final, are determined to go one step further this time. Captain Laura Wolvaardt believes the team's breakthrough performance in 2023 has instilled a belief that they can lift the trophy. England, with their experienced lineup led by Heather Knight, will be eager for revenge against South Africa.The tournament marks a significant milestone with equal prize money for the men's and women's editions, reflecting the ICC's commitment to promoting the women's game. Bangladesh and Scotland kick off the tournament in Sharjah, while the final will be held in Dubai on October 20.

Travis Head's all-round brilliance propelled Australia to a 49-run victory over England in the rain-affected fifth and final ODI at Bristol, securing a 3-2 series triumph for the world champions.England, chasing a formidable target, were cruising at 202-2 thanks to a century from Ben Duckett (107) and a half-century from Harry Brook (72). However, Australia's slow bowlers turned the tide, with Head claiming an ODI-best 4-28 as England collapsed to 309 all out.Australia's chase got off to a blistering start, with Matthew Short (58) and Head (31) putting on 78 for the first wicket in just over seven overs. Rain intervened with Australia well ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) target, and the umpires eventually called off the game with Australia on 165-2 after 20.4 overs.Head's performance was particularly impressive, as he not only took four wickets but also made a valuable contribution with the bat. His 31 off 24 balls helped set the tone for Australia's chase, while his bowling proved decisive in England's collapse.Duckett's century was his second in ODIs, and he played a key role in England's strong start. Brook continued his impressive form with another half-century, but England's middle and lower order failed to provide the necessary support.The victory marked a successful end to Australia's tour of England, which also included a 2-0 Test series win. It was a particularly satisfying result for Head, who has emerged as a key player for Australia in recent months.

Australia's Women's T20 World Cup title defense has been met with a potential setback as batter Phoebe Litchfield has been ruled out of the warm-up matches due to groin soreness. The news emerged ahead of Australia's first warm-up against England in Dubai on September 29.Adding to the injury concerns, Grace Harris, who has been sidelined since April 2024 due to calf strains in both legs, is also not yet ready to return to the field due to a "new niggle." However, she has resumed training.Cricket Australia (CA) stated that an update on the availability of both players for the World Cup proper will be provided in the coming days. Australia will play a second warm-up match against West Indies on October 1 before opening their tournament against Sri Lanka on October 5.India, Pakistan, and New Zealand are the other teams in Australia's Group A. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on October 17 and 18, with the final scheduled for October 20.Litchfield's absence from the warm-up games is a blow to Australia's preparations, as she has been a key member of the team in recent years. She was part of the squad that won the 2020 T20 World Cup and has scored over 1,000 runs in T20Is.Harris's return to fitness would be a significant boost for Australia, as she is a powerful hitter and a reliable fielder. Her experience and leadership would also be invaluable to the team.Australia will be hoping that both Litchfield and Harris can recover in time for the World Cup, as they aim to defend their title and claim their sixth T20 World Cup crown.

England and Australia faced off in a thrilling fifth and final ODI match, with Australia winning the toss and electing to field. England openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett got off to a strong start, putting on 58 runs in the first 6 overs.Salt was particularly aggressive, hitting two sixes and a four off Aaron Hardie's bowling. However, Hardie eventually got his revenge, dismissing Salt for 45 off a short ball that was caught by Marnus Labuschagne at point.Duckett continued to play positively, hitting a four off Josh Hazlewood's bowling. However, he was also dismissed by Hardie, who bowled him for 27. Will Jacks came in at number 3 and played a solid innings, scoring 26 runs off 29 balls.England's middle order struggled to maintain the momentum, with Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, and Liam Livingstone all falling cheaply. Jacob Bethell and Brydon Carse provided some resistance, but England were eventually bowled out for 179 in 44.2 overs.Australia's bowlers were impressive, with Hardie taking 3 wickets for 32 runs and Hazlewood taking 2 wickets for 29 runs. Mitchell Starc also bowled well, taking 1 wicket for 36 runs.In reply, Australia's openers Travis Head and Matthew Short got off to a solid start, putting on 40 runs for the first wicket. However, England's bowlers fought back, with Olly Stone dismissing Head for 22 and Adil Rashid dismissing Short for 25.Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne then steadied the innings, putting on 50 runs for the third wicket. Smith was eventually dismissed by Rashid for 30, but Labuschagne went on to score an unbeaten 62 off 76 balls.Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Hardie provided some late fireworks, hitting 24 and 22 runs respectively. Australia eventually reached their target with 5 overs to spare, winning the match by 6 wickets.

Australia, led by stand-in captain Steven Smith, will face England in the decisive third ODI at Bristol, with both teams seeking to clinch the series. Australia has been forced to make changes due to an injury to Mitchell Marsh, while England has rested Jofra Archer.Despite the series being on the line, England has opted to rest Archer, who has played two consecutive matches. Olly Stone returns to the side as the only change, with Harry Brook confirming that he would have also chosen to bowl first on an overcast day.Australia's captaincy duties fall to Smith, who has frequently filled in as skipper in recent years. Sean Abbott has also been dropped after three costly outings, with Aaron Hardie returning to the team. Cooper Connolly makes his debut, providing Australia with another spin option and an additional left-hander in the lower order. Alex Carey has lost his spot, while Matthew Short will open the batting.England's lineup remains largely unchanged, with Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Olly Stone, Matthew Potts, and Adil Rashid all retaining their places.Australia's team for the match is as follows: Travis Head, Matthew Short, Steven Smith (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, and Josh Hazlewood.The match is expected to be a close contest, with both teams eager to secure the series victory. The weather forecast predicts rain later in the afternoon, which could potentially impact the outcome of the game.

Virat Kohli's rivalry with Australia is one of the most captivating in modern cricket. His performances against the Aussies have been exceptional, particularly in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Kohli's ability to chase down targets and turn the tide of matches in India's favor has earned him a reputation as a master of high-pressure situations.Kohli has scored an impressive eight ODI centuries against Australia, with five of those coming on Australian soil. His successive centuries in Canberra and Melbourne during India's tour in January 2016 stand as a testament to his brilliance.One of the most memorable moments in the Kohli-Australia rivalry occurred during the fourth ODI in Canberra. Kohli and James Faulkner engaged in a heated exchange, with Kohli famously responding to Faulkner's sledge by saying, "Go bowl, don't waste your time. You're wasting your energy. No point. I've smashed you enough in my life. No point. Go bowl."Despite Kohli's magnificent 106, India lost the match by 25 runs. However, the incident highlighted the competitive and intense nature of the encounters between Kohli and the Aussies.Kohli's performances against Australia have been consistently impressive, both in bilateral series and major tournaments. He has thrived on the aggressive and competitive nature of the Australian team, using it as fuel for his own performances.Kohli's rivalry with Australia is not limited to ODIs. He has also enjoyed success in Tests and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against the Aussies. His match-winning knocks and steady, responsible innings across formats have made him one of the most iconic players in the modern era.

Australia's success in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy hinges on their ability to neutralize the formidable Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, according to all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. India has emerged victorious in their last two tours of Australia, becoming the only Asian nation to conquer the Aussies in a Test series on their home turf.Maxwell, who has not featured in Australia's Test team since 2017, believes that Ashwin and Jadeja have consistently played a pivotal role in India's triumphs. "Over a long period of time, those two have always been the ones we've faced consistently, and the battles we've had with them have often dictated the outcome of the game," Maxwell said.The Ashwin-Jadeja combination has amassed an astonishing 821 wickets in 330 innings, including 50 five-wicket hauls. Maxwell emphasized that Australia must nullify their impact to improve their chances of success. "If we play well against those two, we'll generally find ourselves in a better position compared to when they've had a field day and run through us," he said.Maxwell also lauded the development of Jasprit Bumrah, who has emerged as a world-class bowler across all formats. "To see him evolve from a young, untapped talent to what he is now—the probably best bowler across all three formats—is a pretty amazing story," Maxwell remarked.

Australian spinner Adam Zampa has etched his name in the history books by surpassing former paceman Nathan Bracken to become the eighth-highest wicket-taker for Australia in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Zampa achieved this milestone during the fourth ODI against England at Lord's on Saturday.Despite Australia's disappointing performance in the match, Zampa emerged as a beacon of hope for the bowling attack. He claimed two crucial wickets for 66 runs in eight overs, including the dismissals of half-centurions Ben Duckett and Harry Brook.Since his ODI debut in 2016, Zampa has amassed an impressive tally of 175 wickets in 102 matches. His average of 27.99 and best figures of 5/35 highlight his consistency and ability to strike at crucial moments. He has also registered 11 four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul in ODIs.Bracken, a prominent Australian pacer from 2001-09, once ranked number one in the 50-over format. He took 174 wickets in 116 ODIs at an average of 24.36, with best figures of 5/47. Bracken's five 4-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls in ODIs further demonstrate his prowess as a wicket-taker.Pace legends Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee remain the joint-highest wicket-takers in ODIs for Australia, with 380 wickets each.In the fourth ODI, England posted a formidable total of 312/5 in their 39 overs. Liam Livingstone's blistering 62* off 27 balls, including seven sixes, provided the finishing touches. Zampa was the pick of the Australian bowlers, while Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, and Josh Hazlewood also claimed wickets.Australia's chase faltered as they were skittled out for 126 in 24.4 overs. Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse wreaked havoc with the ball, taking four and three wickets respectively. England leveled the five-match series 2-2 with a convincing 186-run victory.Harry Brook's outstanding performance earned him the 'Player of the Match' award.

Australian Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis Booed at Lord's for Controversial Catch ClaimDuring the fourth ODI between Australia and England at Lord's, Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis faced a chorus of boos from the crowd after claiming a controversial catch. In the 17th over of England's batting, Inglis dived to his left to catch a delivery from Mitchell Starc that England captain Harry Brook appeared to have edged.However, replays showed that the ball had bounced before reaching Inglis' gloves. Despite this, Inglis appealed for the catch, prompting the Lord's crowd to express their disapproval with loud boos. Umpire Joel Wilson initially gave the dismissal before consulting with fellow official Martin Saggers, and the pair referred the decision to the third umpire for confirmation.Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena overturned the decision after replays confirmed that the ball had bounced into Inglis' gloves. The crowd's reaction was swift and vocal, with boos and chants of "Same old Aussies, always cheating" echoing around the ground.The incident brought back memories of a similar controversy 14 months earlier, when Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey controversially stumped England's Jonny Bairstow during the second Ashes Test at the same venue. That incident led to heated reactions and unsightly scenes in the Lord's Pavilion's Long Room.Earlier in the match, Australia opted to bowl at a cold and cloudy Lord's after the toss was delayed by 90 minutes due to rain. Further showers after the toss reduced the match to 39 overs per side, with no bowler allowed more than eight overs.