Cricket

New Zealand's cricketers have enjoyed a remarkable week, with both the men's and women's teams achieving historic victories. The men's team secured their first Test match win in India in 36 years, while the women's team triumphed in the T20 World Cup for the first time ever.The women's victory was particularly impressive, as they overcame the host nation India in the final. The Indian team had begun their campaign with a loss to New Zealand, which ultimately proved costly as the Kiwis edged past them in the group stage and advanced to the semifinals.Harmanpreet Kaur's Indian team now has a chance for immediate revenge, as they face New Zealand in the first of a three-match ODI series on Thursday. The Indian women will be eager to settle the score from the T20 World Cup, where they were thrashed 4-1 by the White Ferns.Amelia Kerr was the star of that series win for New Zealand, plundering 353 runs at an average of 117.66. She will be a key player for the Kiwis once again, along with captain Sophie Devine and veteran Suzie Bates.The Indian bowlers will have their work cut out for them, as they face a formidable New Zealand batting lineup. Renuka Singh, Radha Yadav, and Deepti Sharma will need to be at their best to contain the likes of Kerr, Devine, and Bates.In the men's Test match, New Zealand's victory was built on a solid batting performance. Tom Latham and Devon Conway both scored centuries, while Daryl Mitchell and Henry Nicholls made valuable contributions. The bowlers also played their part, with Tim Southee and Trent Boult taking seven wickets each.The victory was a significant achievement for New Zealand, as it ended India's long unbeaten streak at home. It also gave the Kiwis a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, with the second Test scheduled to begin on November 25.

India vs Oman Live Score: India A Squad Dominates Group BIndia's A squad has emerged as a formidable force in the Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup, securing two consecutive victories in Group B. With their sights set on the semifinals, India will face minnows Oman in their final group stage encounter.The Indian squad boasts a talented roster, including Prabhsimran Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Ramandeep Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Anshul Kamboj, Rahul Chahar, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vaibhav Arora, Aaqib Khan, Hrithik Shokeen, Anuj Rawat, and Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore.India's dominance in the tournament has been evident in their impressive performances. In their opening match, they outplayed Bangladesh by 37 runs, showcasing their batting prowess and disciplined bowling. Their second victory came against Afghanistan, where they chased down a challenging target of 166 with ease, thanks to a brilliant century from Prabhsimran Singh.Oman, on the other hand, has faced a more challenging path in the tournament. They suffered a narrow defeat to Bangladesh in their first match and were outplayed by Afghanistan in their second. However, they remain determined to make an impact in their final group game against India.The match between India and Oman promises to be an exciting contest, with both teams eager to secure a victory. India will be looking to maintain their unbeaten streak and solidify their position as one of the favorites for the title. Oman, meanwhile, will be aiming to upset the odds and prove their worth on the international stage.

Keshav Maharaj, the South African left-arm spinner, has credited Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal for providing valuable advice that has helped him excel in the ongoing Test match in Dhaka. Maharaj has taken six wickets so far, bowling with precision and exploiting the conditions that have favored both seamers and spinners.Maharaj reached out to Tamim, his former teammate at Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), for insights into the Dhaka pitch. Tamim's guidance proved accurate, as Maharaj noted, "He read the wicket to the tee."Maharaj's performance on the third day was particularly impressive, as he bowled 37 overs and took three wickets for 105 runs. He played a crucial role in keeping the pressure on Bangladesh's batters, both in tandem with Kagiso Rabada and as the primary threat later in the innings.Maharaj's versatility allows him to adapt to different match situations. He can both create opportunities and hold up an end, as he did when Rabada was bowling aggressively. When the ball started to spin, Maharaj posed a greater threat, breaking a crucial partnership and dismissing Jaker Ali.Maharaj praised the resilience of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali, who put up a strong rearguard action for Bangladesh. He acknowledged that South Africa struggled to break the partnership for an extended period."We threw everything at them, and I don't think it was a case of us taking our foot off the gas. I think they played really well, and you must give credit towards the batters in that situation," Maharaj said.Maharaj's performance has been a key factor in South Africa's strong position in the match. They need just three more wickets to bowl out Bangladesh in their second innings and secure a victory.

Former England captain Alastair Cook believes that Joe Root has the potential to become the leading run-scorer in Test cricket history, surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Root recently surpassed Cook to become England's leading scorer in Test cricket during the ongoing series against Pakistan in Multan.Cook, who watched Root achieve this milestone, expressed his admiration and congratulated him. "I watched the moment, then I rang him after the end of the play," Cook said. "I couldn't think of the right words to write in a text message. So I thought I'd just ring him, see what he was up to, and make sure he had a beer in his hand, which I think he did."Root's current run tally stands at 12,716, just 3,206 runs shy of Tendulkar's record of 15,921 runs. Cook believes that Root has the ability to reach this milestone. "I think Joe Root could set a mark, certainly on an English side, that'll be very hard to beat," Cook said. "But you just never know. I hope he can get very close, if not be the first person who scores 16,000 Test runs. It'd be a great achievement."Before surpassing Tendulkar's record, Root must first overtake six other players: Jacques Kallis (13,289 runs), Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,288 runs), Kumar Sangakkara (12,400 runs), Brian Lara (11,953 runs), and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814 runs).Root will continue his pursuit of Tendulkar's record in the third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, beginning on Thursday. If he continues to perform at his current level, he has a good chance of achieving this historic milestone.

Rishabh Pant's stellar performance in the second innings of the opening Test against New Zealand has propelled him to the sixth spot in the ICC Test rankings for batters, surpassing his illustrious teammate Virat Kohli. Pant's counter-attacking 99 earned him a three-spot jump, while Kohli's fluent 70 saw him drop to eighth.India's highest-ranked batter remains opener Yashasvi Jaiswal at fourth, while captain Rohit Sharma slipped two places to joint 15th alongside Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne. England's Joe Root continues to dominate the rankings at the top.New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway made significant gains in the batters' rankings, climbing 36 and 12 spots to 18th and 36th respectively. Matt Henry emerged as the standout performer in the bowlers' category, rising two rungs to ninth with a new career-high rating.Henry's eight wickets in New Zealand's drought-breaking victory over India in Bengaluru earned him the recognition, while teammate Will O'Rourke also moved up two spots to 39th for his seven scalps in the same match.Pakistan spinner Noman Ali re-entered the rankings at 17th after claiming 11 wickets across two innings against England. His teammate Sajid Khan jumped 22 places to 50th after being named Player of the Match in the same contest.India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remains atop the bowlers' rankings, followed by teammate R Ashwin. Ravindra Jadeja, retaining the seventh spot, is another Indian in the top 10.

New Zealand's skipper Tom Latham has emphasized the team's adaptability and focus on utilizing their bowling options effectively in the upcoming second Test against India. Despite their historic eight-wicket victory in the opening Test in Bengaluru, Latham stressed the importance of not having preconceived notions about the pitch conditions."We're trying to adapt as quickly as we can," Latham stated. "If it's a wicket that turns a little bit more, we've got four spinners in our line-up, but it's also about trying not to go into the game with too many preconceived ideas."Latham acknowledged that he has considered how to best utilize the team's spinners, including Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, and Glenn Phillips. He emphasized the need to gather information from previous matches and practice wickets to prepare for the conditions.Despite their impressive victory in Bengaluru, Latham emphasized that the team is not resting on its laurels. "We celebrated what was a special performance, but our attention has turned quickly to this game," he said. "We're trying to take the confidence from last week and take that into this game."Latham also addressed his lack of big scores, stating that his focus is on contributing to the team's success. "I've certainly been working hard behind the scenes to get my game where I want it to be," he said. "As a batsman, it's a really fine line."Latham praised Rachin Ravindra's approach in the first Test, highlighting his ability to balance attack and defense. "The way he played throughout that whole innings was outstanding," Latham said. "He put the foot down a little bit, played a little bit more attacking at certain stages, and then obviously sucked up a little bit of pressure at times as well."Regarding Kane Williamson's absence, Latham stated that he is working closely with the medical team. "It's a day-by-day thing with Kane," he said. "Hopefully, we'll find out a little bit more after the Test."

Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has issued a stern warning to his countrymen ahead of their upcoming Test series against India, describing the Asian giants as a "powerhouse that don't want to bow down" to anyone.Lee's comments come in the wake of India's eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the Bengaluru Test earlier this week. Despite the setback, Lee believes that India remains a formidable force in world cricket."This day and age, India is a powerhouse that don't want to bow down. They know how to win, and they know they can beat Australia; they know they can beat the Kiwis. They know they can beat anyone on any given day," Lee told 'Fox Cricket'.Lee suggested that India's recent performance against New Zealand may have been influenced by the aggressive approach adopted by England under Brendon McCullum, known as 'Bazball'."India just didn't go into their shell. Maybe it's Bazball brushing off on other cricketers around the world," he noted. "I know that India won't be proud of the way they played. They played some pretty loose shots."India's batting woes in the Bengaluru Test were evident in their first innings, where they were bowled out for a paltry 46 runs, their lowest Test score at home. Lee believes that the team needs to assess conditions more accurately and make better decisions."But, you've got to weigh up the risk factor as well. There are times when you've got to go, 'Okay, well, maybe the big shots aren't working today'. Maybe, just rein it in a little bit. I don't think they sort of summed up the conditions as quickly as what they should have done," Lee said.Before departing for Australia, India will play two more Test matches against New Zealand in Pune (October 24-28) and Mumbai (November 1-5). These matches will provide the team with an opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

India's women's cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, embarks on a crucial three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting Thursday. The series serves as a vital preparation for next year's World Cup, following India's disappointing performance at the recent T20 World Cup.Kaur, who has faced criticism for her captaincy, will be under immense pressure to prove her worth. She will be without the services of wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, who is appearing for her board exams. Experienced all-rounder Asha Sobhana and seamer Pooja Vastrakar are also unavailable due to injury and rest, respectively.The series presents an opportunity for uncapped players Tejal Hasabnis, Saima Thakor, and Priya Mishra to make their mark. The opening duo of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana will be expected to provide a solid start, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Kaur will be tasked with anchoring the middle order.New Zealand, on the other hand, will be brimming with confidence after their triumph at the T20 World Cup. Led by Sophie Devine, they will be looking to continue their winning ways.The series will be a test of character for India, who will be eager to put their T20 World Cup disappointment behind them. Kaur will need to find the right balance between experience and youth, while New Zealand will be aiming to maintain their momentum.All three matches will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, with the first match starting at 1.30 pm IST.

Sri Lanka and West Indies will face off in the second ODI of a three-match series in Pallekele on Wednesday, with the hosts aiming to secure a white-ball series double. Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the rain-hit ODI opener on Monday, while West Indies will be determined to force a decider in the final match on Saturday.Sri Lanka's squad boasts a blend of experience and youth, with Kusal Mendis leading the charge as captain. Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and Charith Asalanka provide stability in the batting lineup, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana offer spin options.West Indies, on the other hand, will rely on the experience of Shai Hope, who will captain the side. Brandon King, Keacy Carty, and Sherfane Rutherford form a formidable batting unit, while Alzarri Joseph and Hayden Walsh provide pace and spin, respectively.The first ODI was a closely contested affair, with Sri Lanka ultimately prevailing by 1 wicket. West Indies will be eager to level the series and force a decider, while Sri Lanka will be determined to seal the series victory.The match will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, which has hosted numerous memorable matches in the past. The pitch is expected to be conducive to both batting and bowling, promising an exciting contest.