Superb batting by the top order helped India Women defeat Ireland Women by six wickets in the first of three One-day Internationals at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here on Friday. Pratika Rawal (89) and Tejal Hasabnis (53 not out) combined for a 116-run partnership to take India to 241/4 and help the hosts overhaul the visitors' score of 238/7 in 50 overs and win the match with 93 balls to spare.

It was also a historic night for captain Smriti Mandhana as she became the fastest Indian batter and third-fastest overall to reach the 4,000-run milestone in women’s cricket. Smriti reached the mark in 95 games.

Ireland opted to bat first after winning the toss and openers Sarah Forbes (9) and Gaby Lewis (92) looked to be getting to a solid start before the former fell to Titas Sadhu in the fifth over. There was a good bounce off a length and wide of off-stump for Sadhu, as Forbes went driving at the ball far away from her body which resulted in edging it to slip.

Legendary Mumbai cricketers and former captains of the Indian team will join the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Wankhede Stadium on January 19. The events will commence on January 12, leading up to a grand main event on January 19, as an exciting evening awaits fans.

Mumbai legends and former Indian cricket captains, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravi Shastri, Ajinkya Rahane, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Diana Edulji will unite to commemorate the historic significance of Wankhede Stadium. This celebration promises to honour the stadium’s pivotal role in the sport’s legacy.

The main event will also feature Mumbai’s legendary men’s and women’s players from both domestic and international cricket.

Attendees can look forward to performances by renowned artists Avadhoot Gupte and Ajay-Atul and breath-taking laser show.

The Legend 90 League, which is set to begin on February 6, will bring legendary players back to the field in an innovative 90-ball format. Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Moeen Ali, Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill are among the former cricketers who will feature in the League.

League founder Shivain Sharma feels the upcoming League is a perfect platform for the fans to see their favourite cricketers competing on the field again with six franchises vying for glory.

"The Legend 90 League is not just about bringing cricket legends back to the field; it's about giving fans the chance to see their favorite former cricketers competing on the field again. This league is designed to provide a stage for players, who might not be at international spotlight, to showcase their skills alongside cricketing greats," said Sharma.

SA20 commissioner and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith believes leagues like UAE’s ILT20 are not good for the game as there’s no investment back into growing the game locally. The third season of SA20 begins on Thursday and is in a direct clash with ILT20 yet again.

"We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We're a South African league, with a majority of South African players and our ultimate goal is to benefit South African players. We've been built up against ILT20, so it's very difficult for me to not come across like I'm bad-mouthing them," said Smith at the captain's day press conference in Cape Town on Wednesday.

“But I do feel like a league like that is not good for the game; that there's that many international players required to build a team; there's no investment back into local cricket. That is a challenge for the world game and something that needs to be managed going forward," he added.

Australia’s fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green has shared that he’s back to running in his recovery process after having undergone a lower back stress fracture surgery in October last year.

In a post shared on his Instagram account on Wednesday, Green has shown himself flexing his arms while running and training in the outfield of the WACA Ground in his hometown Perth, with the caption going as ‘we back’.

Green, 25, was ruled out of the 2024/25 Australian summer and the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series after suffering a recurrence of a lower back stress fracture for the fifth time during Australia’s white-ball tour of the United Kingdom.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has expressed his reservations about Jasprit Bumrah succeeding Rohit Sharma as India's Test captain.

Kaif emphasised that appointing Bumrah as skipper could overburden the pacer, affecting both his fitness and longevity. Instead, he advocated for a batter, such as KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant, to take up the leadership mantle, ensuring stability and performance continuity.

Speculation around India’s Test captaincy has intensified following Rohit Sharma’s absence from the Sydney Test during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Reports suggest that Rohit might step away from Test captaincy altogether, opening the door for potential successors. Jasprit Bumrah, who briefly captained India in the Perth and Sydney Tests, has emerged as a candidate for the role, but Kaif firmly believes this would be a misstep.

“The BCCI should think twice before appointing Jasprit Bumrah as the full-time captain,” Kaif posted on X.

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has confirmed his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a decorated 14-year career. Guptill, 38, has scored 23 international centuries across all three formats while playing 198 ODIs, 122 T20Is and 47 Tests for New Zealand.

He last played for New Zealand in 2022 and now ends his international career as the side’s leading T20I run-scorer with 3,531 from 122 matches, the second-most appearances in the format for a player from the country. He also amassed 7,346 ODI runs, which places him third on the ODI run-scorers list behind Ross Taylor and Stephen Fleming.

“As a young kid it was always my dream to play for New Zealand and I feel incredibly lucky and proud to have played 367 games for my country. I will forever cherish the memories made wearing the silver fern alongside a great group of guys.I want to say a huge thanks to all my team-mates and coaching staff over the years, in particular Mark O’Donnell who has coached me since the Under 19 level and been a source of ongoing support and wisdom over my career.

Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has thrown his weight behind the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup, scheduled for January 13-19 here at Indira Gandhi Stadium, calling for global unity in support of India’s traditional sport.

"Greetings everyone! Let's all come together for Kho Kho. The exciting Kho Kho World Cup is going to be held in Delhi, which the whole world will watch from January 13 to 19 this year," announced Chopra, whose support highlights the tournament's significance in promoting Indian sports on the global stage.

The championship marks a watershed moment for Kho Kho, featuring an unprecedented 39 teams from across the globe competing in both men's and women's categories. The tournament will kick off with a grand opening ceremony on January 13, followed by an exciting opener between hosts India and Nepal.

Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar said he won’t be surprised if fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah takes over as the side’s Test captain in near future, citing that he doesn’t pressurise players much when he’s been at the helm of the team.

In India’s recent 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah captained the visitors’ in two games, one of which was a 295-run series opening match in Perth. “He will be the next man, because he leads from the front. He's got a very good air about him, the air of a leader, but he’s not somebody who's going to put pressure on you. Sometimes you have captains who put a lot of pressure on you.

“With Bumrah you can see that he expects the others to do what their job is, why they are in the national team, but he doesn't seem to pressurise anybody. With the fast bowlers, he's been absolutely brilliant, standing at mid-off, mid-on, and every time just being at hand to tell them. I think he was absolutely brilliant, and I won't be surprised if he takes over very soon,” said Gavaskar on Channel Seven on Wednesday.

Marcus Rashford’s representatives have opened talks with AC Milan about loaning the Manchester United forward in the January transfer window.

According to a report by The Athletic, Dwaine Maynard, Rashford’s brother and agent, flew to Milan on Tuesday to hold discussions with recruitment staff at the Serie A side.

Rashford’s contract with the Red Devils expires in the summer of 2028 which makes a deal in the winter transfer window unlikely. Alongside AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund are hoping to sign him on a season-long loan. A deal similar to what the German club had struck with United for Jadon Sancho in the 2023/24 season.

Rashford has not featured for the side since December 1 when he scored a brace in the 4-0 win against Everton, which was Amorim’s first league win at the club.