Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

India's women cricket team strike gold at Asian Games

Bangladesh win bronze by defeating defending champions Pakistan

India's women cricket team strike gold at Asian Games

INDIA struck gold on their Asian Games cricket debut when they beat in-form Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the women's final in Hangzhou on Monday (25).

"It's a gold medal for the whole of India," said batter Richa Ghosh.

Batting first, India reached 116-7 in their 20 overs with Smriti Mandhana (46) and Jemimah Rodrigues (42) putting on 73 for the second wicket.

"Winning a gold medal is something you dream about," said Rodrigues.

"It's a reward for all the efforts we have put in over so many years."

Sri Lanka's chase started badly when they were reduced to 14-3 in the fifth over by a devastating spell from right-arm seamer Titas Sadhu.

She took two wickets in her first four balls and another in her third over to finish with remarkable figures of three wickets for six runs.

Sri Lanka, who had beaten England in a white-ball series for the first time earlier this month, were always behind the run rate despite Hasini Perera looking to accelerate, hitting four fours and a six in a rapid 25.

When Nilakshi de Silva was out after a battling 23, Sri Lanka were 78-5 needing 39 more with only 23 balls remaining.

Two more wickets saw them face a near-impossible 25 off the last over and could only muster five as India began to celebrate.

"It's a golden first for us," India assistant coach Rajib Dutta said. "Many more to come I hope.

"It's a low-scoring wicket so we thought 110 would be a good score, but when Jemimah and Mandhana were together we thought 130-135 might be possible so we were a little disappointed by 116," he added.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Oshadi Ranasinghe said they had missed a good opportunity to win gold.

"Looking at the way we batted, we have to get more disciplined," she said.

'The pitch was turning'

Accumulating runs has not been easy all tournament at the Zhejiang University for Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field, on a flaky wicket affected by rain last week.

India won the toss and opted to bat even though both semi-finals and the bronze medal match were won by the team chasing.

They lost star opener Shafali Verma with the score on 16, but steadied to 35-1 at the end of the six-over power play where only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-metre circle.

When Mandhana fell for 46 with the score on 89 in the 15th over, it sparked a succession of dismissals that stalled India's momentum when a testing total in excess of 130 had looked more likely.

Rodrigues, who had been not out 47 and 20 in her two previous Asian Games outings, was finally dismissed in the last over for 42.

"We had also struggled while batting on this pitch, so we thought we could defend this total," said Ghosh, who smashed a huge six in her cameo of nine off six balls.

"The pitch was turning and holding up a little bit."

Bangladesh took the bronze after restricting Pakistan to 64-9 and crawling to their target of 65 in 18.2 overs in their medal playoff.

It meant Pakistan, who won the gold on both previous occasions that cricket was played in the Asian Games, return home empty-handed.

"It's not a good feeling. We never got enough runs on the board," said Pakistan coach Mohtashim Rasheed.

(AFP)

More For You

Wimbledon 2025: Swiatek Overcomes McNally to Enter Third Round

The third round in 22 consecutive Grand Slams

Getty Images

Iga Swiatek rallies past McNally to reach Wimbledon third round

Summary

     
  • Swiatek battles back: Iga Swiatek overcame a shaky start to defeat American Caty McNally 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 and reach the third round at Wimbledon.
  • Early scare: McNally, ranked 208, came from 1-4 down to take the first set, capitalising on Swiatek’s struggles on grass.
  • Swift turnaround: Swiatek raised her aggression in the second set, dominating the rest of the match and losing just three more games.
  • Grand Slam consistency: The 23-year-old became only the third woman this century to reach the third round in 22 consecutive Grand Slams.
  • Familiar foe: Swiatek and McNally were former junior doubles partners, winning the French Open girls' title together in 2018.


Keep ReadingShow less
Akash-Deep-Getty

Akash Deep gave away 12 runs in his first over but returned to bowl a double-wicket maiden in his second. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

England in trouble after Gill’s double century and Akash Deep’s early strikes

INDIA captain Shubman Gill scored his first Test double century as India posted 587 in their first innings on the second day of the second Test against England at Edgbaston on Thursday. England were 77-3 at stumps, trailing by 510 runs.

Gill’s 269 was the foundation of India’s innings, before stand-in fast bowler Akash Deep removed two England batters in consecutive balls. Deep is playing in this match as Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, is being rested. Bumrah is set to play only three of the five matches in this series due to a back injury.

Keep ReadingShow less
Novak Djokovic

His pursuit of a first Wimbledon title gathered pace

Getty Images

Novak Djokovic cruising as seeded players recover at Wimbledon

Summary

  • Sinner cruises through to third round
  • Draper stunned by inspired Cilic
  • Sixth-seeded Serbian swats aside home favourite Evans
  • Holder Krejcikova battles past American Dolehide
  • Rybakina and Swiatek both progress into third round

Novak Djokovic showed signs that he is easing into the old routine at Wimbledon as the seven-times champion sauntered into the third round on Thursday while Barbora Krejcikova also made it through as her title defence continued.

World number one Jannik Sinner also eased into round three as his pursuit of a first Wimbledon title gathered pace, the Italian thrashing Australia's Aleksandar Vukic 6-1 6-1 6-3.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gill becomes first Asian captain to score double-century in England

Shubman Gill reacts to reaching his double hundred on day two of the second cricket test match against England at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, central England on July 3, 2025. (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

Gill becomes first Asian captain to score double-century in England

SHUBMAN GILL etched his name in cricket history on Thursday (3), becoming the first Indian and Asian captain to score a double-century in a Test match on English soil as he powered India to a commanding position at Edgbaston.

The 25-year-old skipper scored 269 on the second day of the second Test, having shattered multiple records in a masterful innings that has put England to the sword.

Keep ReadingShow less
Diogo Jota

Jota scored nine goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool won their 20th Premier League title. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Liverpool’s Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain

LIVERPOOL forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash in Spain early on Thursday, police said. The crash occurred weeks after the Portugal international got married.

The Civil Guard confirmed that a vehicle veered off a motorway and caught fire shortly after midnight in Cernadilla, in the northwestern Zamora province. The crash resulted in the deaths of Jota, 28, and his brother.

Keep ReadingShow less