Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana created history by achieving two iconic women’s T20I records, as she left behind New Zealand’s Suzie Bates. India women beat West Indies in the third and final T20I of the series to register a first home T20I series win in five years. On the other hand, Pakistan beat South Africa by 80 runs in the second ODI to win their third straight overseas series in the format as they took a 2-0 unassailable lead. All that and more in our Sports Wrap for today.
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Pakistan hand South Africa a second successive defeat to take a 2-0 unassailable lead
Pakistan defeated South Africa in the second ODI by 81 runs as Kamran Ghulam with a swashbuckling knock and Shaheen Afridi with a four-wicket haul guided the visitors to their third consecutive ODI series win away from home, after Australia and Zimbabwe.
India women register their first T20I series win at home in five years
Smriti Mandhana with her third consecutive fifty, Richa Ghosh with a record knock and Radha Yadav with a four-fer starred for India in what was a rather comfortable 60-run win in the third and final T20I against the West Indies women. India women won a first T20 series at home since 2019.
Smriti Mandhana overtakes Suzie Bates on two elite records in women’s T20Is
Smriti Mandhana has now the most number fifty-plus scores in women’s T20Is as she surpassed Suzie Bates’ number of 29 (28 fifties and one century) with her third consecutive half-century in the series. Mandhana also became the batter with the highest number of boundaries in women’s T20Is, also surpassing Bates’ 505, with just one more during her 77-run knock.
Richa Ghosh equals world record
Richa Ghosh smashed the joint-fastest fifty in women’s T20Is as she equalled the likes of Sophie Devine and Phoebe Litchfield to sit at the top of the pile.
New Zealand, Australia hope for better weather for the short ODI series to finally kick-off
The series opener between New Zealand and Australia women at the Basin Reserve was washed out due to incessant rain in Wellington. The weather forecast for Saturday is a bit better, it says scattered showers with a sun shown peeping through the clouds. So, hopefully, the series gets underway and we get to see some cricket.
Adelaide Strikers take on Melbourne Stars in Match No 6 of the BBL 14
The games are coming thick and fast for Melbourne Stars and also 0-2 down, the Marcus Stoinis-led side will be keen to open their account against the Adelaide Strikers, who themselves are coming off a loss against the Sydney Thunder, in a high-scoring thriller.
Sam Konstas called up, no McSweeney as Australia announce Test squad for last two matches
Australia have pulled the plug on Nathan McSweeney after just three Tests as the 19-year-old Sam Konstas is likely to make his debut at the MCG on the Boxing Day. Beau Webster, Sean Abbott and Jhye Richardson also returned to the Test side for the last two games.
Champions Trophy, India-Pakistan hosted tournaments to have a neutral venue
India and Pakistan will not be playing at the other’s home venue whenever the ICC tournaments are played in corresponding countries, which means – ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 (India), ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (India and Sri Lanka) and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 (Pakistan), apart from Champions Trophy, will be played at a neutral venue.
Bangladesh beat West Indies 3-0 to achieve a massive T20I series victory
Bangladesh achieved a first-ever 3-0 whitewash against the West Indies in a three-match T20I series, home or away. The visitors achieved an 80-run victory in the third T20I to seal a historic series win.
Australia name one-day cup after Dean Jones
Australia’s One-Day Cup will be called Dean Jones Trophy while the Player of the Final will be awarded Michael Bevan medal.