Cricket

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) women's team is gearing up for the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) season three auction by planning a series of camps for its players. The team has retained 14 players, including six overseas stars, ahead of the auction, which is expected to take place in December.RCB assistant head coach Malolan Rangarajan revealed the team's plans in a statement. "We will have a couple of camps for our players and players of interest," Rangarajan said. "This will help us create a shortlist of players for the auction and identify our targets and backups."The retention list includes captain Smriti Mandhana, star batter Ellyse Perry, and wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh, who were key contributors to RCB's championship victory in the inaugural WPL season. Rangarajan emphasized the importance of retaining the team's core values and the players who have proven their worth on and off the field."We have thought really hard about how we wanted to recruit in the last auction and we brought in a couple of players with experience," Rangarajan added. "That has held together and given us a good core to go forward with."RCB emerged as the champions of the WPL 2024, defeating Delhi Capitals by eight wickets in the final. The team's retained players include:* Asha Shobana* Dani Wyatt* Ekta Bisht* Ellyse Perry* Georgia Wareham* Kanika Ahuja* Kate Cross* Renuka Singh* Richa Ghosh* S. Meghana* Shreyanka Patil* Smriti Mandhana* Sophie Devine* Sophie MolineuxRCB has released five players: Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shraddha Pokarkar, Shubha Satheesh, and Simran Bahadur. The team is confident that the upcoming camps and the auction will help them build a strong squad for the upcoming WPL season.

Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, a rising star in Indian cricket, will miss the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand to prioritize her academic commitments. The 21-year-old, who has been a regular member of India's international teams since her debut in 2020, will sit for her class 12 board exams during the series.Ghosh's absence will be a significant blow to India, who are looking to bounce back from their disappointing group-stage exit at the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE. The team's captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, has come under scrutiny following the tournament, and the ODI series against New Zealand will be a crucial test for her leadership.The 16-member squad for the three ODIs in Ahmedabad on October 24, 27, and 29 will be led by Kaur. The team includes several experienced players, such as Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Deepti Sharma, as well as some exciting newcomers.Seam-bowling allrounders Sayali Satghare and Saima Thakor, legspinner Priya Mishra, and middle-order batter Tejal Hasabnis have all received their maiden ODI call-ups. The BCCI has confirmed that legspinner Asha Sobhana is unavailable due to injury, while allrounder Pooja Vastrakar has been rested.India will be eager to put their T20 World Cup disappointment behind them and perform well in the ODI series against New Zealand. The team will be looking to build momentum ahead of the 2023 Women's Cricket World Cup, which will be held in South Africa.

After their disappointing loss to New Zealand, the Indian women's cricket team made a strong comeback against Pakistan in the Group A match of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium. Led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, India restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 105/8, thanks to a brilliant bowling performance by Arundhati Reddy, who claimed three wickets.Pakistan's batters struggled to find their rhythm against India's disciplined bowling attack. However, the Indian fielders were guilty of some sloppy fielding, allowing Pakistan to score a few extra runs. Despite the fielding lapses, Richa Ghosh stood out with an exceptional catch to dismiss Fatima Sana off the bowling of Asha Shobhana. The catch was widely praised on social media, with many calling it "one of the greatest catches."Meanwhile, Diana Baig and Pooja Vastrakar were notable absentees from the playing XIs. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to capitalize on the fresh pitch. India, on the other hand, entered the match with a negative net run rate after their heavy loss to New Zealand.Pakistan's decision to bat first backfired as they struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals. Arundhati Reddy was the pick of the Indian bowlers, taking 3/23 in her four overs. Deepti Sharma and Asha Shobhana also chipped in with two wickets each.In response, India's batters chased down the target with relative ease, reaching 106/2 in 17.2 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided a solid start, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh finished the job with unbeaten knocks.The victory was a much-needed boost for India, who had been under pressure after their loss to New Zealand. It also marked a significant milestone for the Dubai International Stadium, which hosted its 100th T20I match.

Richa Ghosh, India's dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, suffered a concussion during the first T20I against South Africa in Chennai on Friday. The incident occurred in the 16th over of the first innings when Ghosh attempted to catch a top-edged shot from Tazmin Brits. The ball rebounded off her gloves and struck her face, forcing her to leave the field.Ghosh, who was playing her 50th T20I, was initially replaced by uncapped substitute Uma Chetry. However, at the change of innings, batter S Sajana was announced as the official concussion substitute. Sajana would have been eligible to bat if necessary, but the match ended before that with South Africa securing a 12-run victory.The injury to Ghosh is a significant blow to India's hopes in the three-match series. The 20-year-old has been a key player for the team, contributing with both bat and gloves. Her absence will be felt in the remaining matches.In addition to Ghosh's injury, South Africa's Tazmin Brits also suffered a contusion in her right lower leg. Brits had to be stretchered off the field in the second innings after experiencing discomfort. She had earlier top-scored for South Africa with a 56-ball 81 in the first innings.The injuries to both Ghosh and Brits highlight the physical demands of international cricket. The players put their bodies on the line every time they take the field, and injuries are an unfortunate but unavoidable part of the game.