Jharkhand created history in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 by winning their first title in this T20 format after thrashing Haryana in the Final by 69 runs. In the Final, after Jharkhand slammed 262/3 in 20 overs, Haryana replied with 193 all out in 18.3 overs. 

Watch: Ishan Kishan’s special dance after winning SMAT 2025/26 for Jharkhand goes viral

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26: Key Stats

• Jharkhand won the SMAT 2025-26 Final by 69 runs against Haryana. It was the largest SMAT Final win by runs, while the previous record was winning by 41 runs by Delhi against Rajasthan in the 2018 Final. 
• Jharkhand won their first SMAT title. They became the 13th different team to win this title.
• Haryana reached the SMAT Final for the first time and finished as runners-up.
• Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan won the Player of the Match award in SMAT 2025-26 Final for scoring a match-winning century. After Suresh Raina (Uttar Pradesh, 2016) and Pradeep Sangwan (Delhi, 2018), Ishan became the third captain to win the Player of the Match award in an SMAT Final. 
• Jharkhand player Anukul Roy won the Player of the Tournament award for his brilliant all-round performances in the SMAT 2025-26, where he scored 303 runs and picked up 18 wickets. 
• With his century in the SMAT 2025-26 Final, Ishan Kishan recorded his fifth century in SMAT history, the joint record for the most SMAT centuries by equalling Abhishek Sharma's five SMAT hundreds record. 
• Punjab's 310/5 vs Bengal in the Elite Group C was the second-highest SMAT total and fourth-highest T20 total. 
• The Punjab vs Bengal Elite Group C match experienced a match aggregate total of 508 runs, which was the highest match aggregate total in SMAT history. The previous record was 474 in the Goa vs Mumbai Group E match during the 2024 edition. 
• Punjab cricketer Abhishek Sharma's 148 vs Bengal in the Elite Group C match was the second-highest score in SMAT history, while the record is 151 by Tilak Varma (Hyderabad) vs Meghalaya in Group A of the 2024 edition. 
• Madhya Pradesh bowler Arshad Khan's 6 for 9 against Chandigarh were the best bowling figures in SMAT history. The previous record was 6/13 by T Ravi Teja from Hyderabad against Chhattisgarh in the 2023 edition (Group A) and Arzan Nagwaswalla from Gujarat against Railways in the 2023 edition (Group C). 

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26: Top Records

Team Records

Highest Totals

• Punjab: 310/5 vs Bengal (Elite Group C)
• Jharkhand: 262/3 vs Haryana (Final)
• Haryana: 246/7 vs Hyderabad (Super League Group A)

Lowest Completed Totals

• Gujarat: 73 all out vs Baroda (Elite Group C)
• Meghalaya: 81 all out vs Nagaland (Plate Group)
• Puducherry: 83 all out vs Gujarat (Elite Group C)

Biggest Wins (By Runs)

• Karnataka: won by 145 runs vs Tamil Nadu (Elite Group D)
• Haryana: won by 124 runs vs Hyderabad (Super League Group A)
• Nagaland: won by 117 runs vs Arunachal Pradesh (Plate Group)

Biggest Wins (By Wickets)

• Kerala: won by 10 wickets vs Odisha (Elite Group A)
• Mumbai: won by 9 wickets vs Andhra (Elite Group A)
• Gujarat: won by 9 wickets vs Puducherry (Elite Group C)
• Sikkim: won by 9 wickets vs Arunachal Pradesh (Plate Group)
• Mumbai: won by 9 wickets vs Odisha (Elite Group A)
• Hyderabad: won by 9 wickets vs Mumbai (Super League Group A)

Batting Records

Most Runs

• Ishan Kishan (Jharkhand): 517 runs
• Ankit Kumar (Haryana): 448 runs
• Kumar Kushagra (Jharkhand): 422 runs

Multiple Centuries

• Ayush Mhatre (Mumbai): 2 centuries in six innings
• Ishan Kishan (Jharkhand): 2 centuries in 10 innings

Most Fifty+ Scores

• Yashvardhan Dalal (Haryana): 5 half-centuries in 10 innings
• Ankit Kumar (Haryana): 5 half-centuries in 11 innings

Highest Scores

• Abhishek Sharma (Punjab): 148 off 52 balls vs Bengal (Elite Group C)
• Abhimanyu Easwaran (Bengal): 130 not out off 66 balls vs Punjab (Elite Group C)
• Salil Arora (Punjab): 125 not out off 45 balls vs Jharkhand (Super League Group B)

Bowling Records

Most Wickets

• Sushant Mishra (Jharkhand): 22 wickets
• Ashok Sharma (Rajasthan): 22 wickets
• Anshul Kamboj (Haryana): 21 wickets

Most 4+ wickets

• Yash Thakur (Vidarbha): 2 times in seven innings
• Mohammed Shami (Bengal): 2 times in seven innings
• Mukhtar Hussain (Assam): 2 times in seven innings
• Ashok Sharma (Rajasthan): 2 times in 10 innings

Best bowling figures in an innings

• Arshad Khan (Madhya Pradesh): 4-1-9-6 vs Chandigarh (Elite Group B)
• Mukhtar Hussain (Assam): 4-0-20-6 vs Chhattisgarh (Elite Group A)
• Yash Thakur (Vidarbha): 3.2-0-16-5 vs Kerala (Elite Group A)

While Punjab Kings didn't retain Josh Inglis ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, Lucknow Super Giants later signed the Australian cricketer by winning the mini-auction bid for INR 8.6 crore. Now, Inglis revealed that he wouldn't be available for the entire IPL 2026, and we are talking about the reason that he also revealed. 

I'm getting married in early April: Josh Inglis

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will marry in early April 2026. As the IPL 2026 will run between March 26 and May 31, he is unlikely to be available for the entire season. 

Rangpur Riders have taken a big step toward building their squad for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2026 by directly signing six overseas players. The franchise has focused on bringing in cricketers with strong international experience to improve the team’s depth and balance for the upcoming season.

Rangpur Riders officially announced that they have completed the signing of their foreign players and are now ready to form a competitive team capable of winning the title. Earlier, these signings were confirmed through a reliable source.

For BPL 2026, Rangpur Riders have signed Dawid Malan from England, Kyle Mayers from the West Indies, and Pakistan’s Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, and Akif Javed. All of these players have long experience in the T20 circuit and are expected to strengthen the squad.

Also Read -Watch: Ishan Kishan’s special dance after winning SMAT 2025/26 for Jharkhand goes viral

Rangpur Riders’ Confidence and Squad for BPL 2026

The management of Rangpur Riders believes that the mix of experience, versatility, and international exposure of the players will play a key role in the team’s performance in the tournament.

Rangpur Riders Squad for BPL 2026:

Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mustafizur Rahman, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Nahid Rana, Rakibul Hasan, Aliss Al Islam, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Shohagh, Mahmudullah Riyad, Abdul Halim, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kyle Mayers, Dawid Malan, Khawaja Nafay, Akif Javed, Sufiyan Muqeem, Emilio Gay, Md Akhlaq.

Drastic weight loss for Yashasvi Jaiswal. The opener has lost 2 kg in the last couple of days. Because of stomach pain, the batter was admitted to a hospital. It was previously reported that Jaiswal felt severe stomach pain during Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Rajasthan in Pune, for which he was admitted to a hospital.

It was assumed that the problem was not serious and could be cured soon. But now, as per the latest reports, the stomach pain Jaiswal experienced was not something to take casually. As of now, the batter is now in complete bed rest. For at least seven days, he will have to remain on bed rest.

In the latest media report, the Times of India informed, "What initially looked like a normal stomach bug turned out to be acute gastroenteritis following ultrasound and other necessary scans. He was administered IV medication and has been advised to rest and take a course of medicines. The southpaw has been released from the hospital and is back in Mumbai. Jaiswal has lost over two kgs and has been advised a complete rest for the next seven to 10 days."

Read More: Messi Event Chaos: Sourav Ganguly seeks ₹50 Crore in defamation case against fan club president

Yashasvi Jaiswal lost 2 kgs in 2 days 

The prescribed seven to ten days of bed rest can affect the batter's future plans, as he is scheduled to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai. Mumbai will start their campaign against Sikkim on December 24. But why was Jaiswal's condition affected? A source close to TOI informed us that it was a case of food poisoning. He might have eaten something in the hotel that made a bad impression on his health. 

"It is food poisoning. He ate something in the Pune hotel, which has led to this. There was pain, but the condition is much better after timely medication. He has lost over 2 kgs already in the last two days, and the doctors have asked him to rest at least for the next 7-10 days," the source said. 

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 final Took place between Jharkhand and Haryana at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune. Jharkhand have been in tremendous form in this campaign under the leadership of Ishan Kishan, while Haryana have shown their comparative skills in every do-or-die clash of the competition.

At the end of the game, the Jharkhand side won by a massive margin of 69 runs by bundling out the Haryana side for 193 in 18.3 overs. Ishan Kishan displayed dancing skills before the team while delivering the trophy to them. The moment rapidly went viral on social media platforms.

See Also: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Earlier in the game, Haryana’s captain, Ankit Kumar, won the toss and decided to bowl first, expecting the dew to have a massive effect late in the evening for the second innings. His decision proved right as Jharkhand lost Virat Singh for two runs in as many deliveries in the opening over of the first innings against Anshul Kamboj. However, Kishan was in no mood to slow down with the bat inside the power play.

Ishan Kishan’s special dance on winning SMAT 2025/26 goes viral

Kishan ended up with a 101-run knock in just 49 deliveries at a strike rate of over 200 with the help of six boundaries and ten sixes besides sharing a partnership of 177 for the second wicket with Kumar Kusaka, who himself nailed a fine knock of 81 runs in 38 balls at a strike rate of 213, thanks to his eight boundaries and five sixes.

Watch the video here: 

Moments to cherish 🤗

Jharkhand Captain Ishan Kishan receives the coveted Trophy from BCCI Hon. Treasurer Mr. A. Raghuram Bhat 🏆👏

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/3fGWDCTjoo#SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/KoEhrdwPB3

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 18, 2025

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Later in the innings, Anukul Roy also cracked a fine, unbeaten knock of 40 runs in 20 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and two sixes as Jharkhand posted a massive score of 226/3 in their allotted 20 overs. It was always expected to be a difficult chase for Haryana, who lost the first couple of wickets in the opening over of the chase.

Their number four batter, Yashvardan Dalal, nailed a 50 thriller knock in 22 balls with the help of two boundaries and five sixes at a strike rate of 240. Their middle order also contributed, but none of them were significant to complete the successful chase as they fell short of the target by 69 runs. 

Jharkhand created history on Thursday night (December 18) by winning their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) after thrashing Haryana by 69 runs in the high-scoring 2025-26 Final. 

Haryana chose to field first after winning the toss, while Jharkhand scored a mammoth 262/3 in 20 overs. In reply, Haryana were all out for 193 runs in 18.3 overs. 

Jharkhand innings: Ishan Kishan slammed century and Kumar Kushagra scored 81

Although Jharkhand opener Virat Singh was dismissed for only two runs, another opener and skipper Ishan Kishan and the no.3 batter Kumar Kushagra set the tone of the game with a 177-run partnership for the second wicket. While the captain Ishan scored 101 off 49 balls with six fours and 10 sixes, Kumar scored 81 off 38 balls with eight fours and five sixes. Later, Anukul Roy (40 not out off 20 balls) and Robin Minz (31 not out `14 balls) also added crucial runs to stretch the total to 260+. 

Watch: Bangladesh cricket team dance with viral sound track of Bollywood movie 'Dhurandhar'

Haryana were never in chase battle

In reply, Haryana lost two wickets in the first over, as they were always far away from the target, despite some fightbacks in the middle-order batting. While Yashvardhan Dalal scored 53 off 22 balls, Nishant Sindhu (31 off 15 balls) and Samant Jakhar (38 off 17 balls) also added some crucial runs, which were not enough for Haryana.

Among Jharkhand bowlers, Sushant Mishra (3/27) and Bal Krishna (3/38) got three wickets each, while Vikash Singh (2/30) and Anukul Roy (2/42) picked up two wickets each. 

That winning feeling! 🥳

Time for celebration in the Jharkhand camp as they win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the first time 🙌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/3fGWDCTjoo#SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/qJB0b2oS0Y

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 18, 2025

It was Jharkhand's second title in Indian domestic cricket. In the 2010-11 edition, they secured their first title by winning the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the List A format competition. 

Former India captain, Sourav Ganguly, currently the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, has filed a defamation suit against Uttam Saha, president of the Argentina Fan Club in Kolkata. Ganguly alleged that Saha had made some false claims on him regarding the pandemonium at the Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi's event in Kolkata.

According to Uttam Saha, Ganguly was one of the reasons behind the incident at the Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan. After the allegations from Saha, Ganguly filed the defamation case seeking damages of INR 50 crore. The former cricketer stated in his complaint, "Uttam Saha's statements have seriously damaged his reputation. These allegations have been made without any evidence." He described the allegations made by Saha as "false, malicious, defamatory and libelous."

The head of the Messi fan club claimed that Ganguly was the 'middleman' behind the chaos in Kolkata. Ganguly explained that he was there only as a guest and nothing to do with the management role in the event. It was reported that Ganguly's legal team has sent a notice to Saha based on this allegation, demanding a retraction and compensation.

Read More: Shubman Gill ruled out of IND vs SA 5th T20I match- Know why

Messi Event Chaos: Sourav Ganguly filed defamation suit

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, December 16th, West Bengal Sports Minister Arup Biswas resigned following the vandalism and chaos at Messi's event. Now, cricket and football fans in India are curious about the following as it is emerging as a major event in the public dispute between cricket and fan clubs. Regarding the incident during at the venue, Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, expressed regret over the mismanagement and to both Messi and Kolkata’s football fans who were unable to get a proper glimpse of the Argentine superstar.

"I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi. I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident", Banerjee said in a 'X' post. 

The craze for the Bollywood movie 'Dhurandhar' goes beyond any boundary. Despite some backlash on the international stage, there is no denying that the movie, especially the soundtrack of the movie, is the latest viral content on social media platforms across the globe. Even the youth team of Bangladesh is not a part of the trend. 

The cricketers of the Bangladesh Under-19 team were dancing on the soundtrack after a match of the Asia Cup Under-19. The video of Bangladeshi cricketers dancing to the 'Dhurandhar' soundtrack caught cricket fans' attention on social media platforms. 

Yesterday (December 17), the Bangladesh Youth Cricket team was up against the youth cricket team of Sri Lanka. For multiple past few incidents on the grounds, these two nations are considered their arch rivals. Bangladesh got a dominating victory against Sri Lanka in the crucial game of the Asia Cup Under-19 at the ICC academy ground in Dubai. 

Read More: 

Watch Bangladesh cricket team celebration with 'Dhurandhar' movie's viral sound track 

Bangladesh Under 19 Cricket Team dances to Indian film Dhurandhar song FA9LA during Asia Cup Bangladesh Versus Srilanka match even as radical groups in Bangladesh issue threats against India. pic.twitter.com/NCrQVjCiFU

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 18, 2025

Bangladesh was the first side to bat in the match and registered a total of 225/10 in 46.3 overs. As the target was not high, Sri Lanka had a fair amount of chances to claim the match. 

After an underwhelming batting effort, Bangladesh pulled out a stunning victory because of their bowling performances. The Sri Lanka cricket team failed to craft any significant partnership and bundled for only 186 runs. Bangladesh won the Asia Cup Under-19 game by 39 runs. Iqbal Hossain Emon and Shahriar Ahmed claimed 3 wickets each. After the win over the archrivals, Bangladesh cricketers made a special celebration with the viral soundtrack of the Bollywood movie 'Dhurandhar.' 

While Jharkhand and Haryana are facing each other in the Final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26, a Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) star, who is also a known Indian cricketer, slammed a century. 

After Haryana chose to field first in the SMAT 2025-26 Final, Jharkhand opener Virat Singh was dismissed cheaply for only two runs. However, the skipper Ishan Kishan and the no.3 batter Kumar Kushagra completely dominated the first innings, as they had a 177-run partnership for the second wicket.

Watch: Shubman Gill annoyed as police person advised him to play better

SMAT 2025-26 leading run-scorer Ishan Kishan slams century in Final

After completing his 50 runs in 24 balls, Jharkhand opener and captain Ishan completed his sixth T20 century in 45 balls. With the help of six fours and 10 sixes, Ishan scored 101 runs in 49 balls. It was his second century in the tournament, while 113 not out against Tripura in the first round group stage. 

With this knock, Ishan Kishan has sent a strong message to the Indian cricket board as the 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter is knocking on the door strongly. He last played for India in November 2023, while he has served for the senior national team in two Tests, 27 ODIs, and 32 T20Is. The ODI double-centurion is the leading run-scorer in the SMAT 2025-26 with 517 runs in 10 innings with an average of 51.70. 

On the other hand, Kumar Kushagra scored a 29-ball fifty, as he stretched his batting to 81 runs in just 38 balls with the help of eight fours and five sixes.

SMAT 2025-26 Final: Jharkhand score 262/3

Later, the middle-order batters, Anukul Roy and Robin Minz played powerful cameos to guide the total over 260 runs. While Roy scored 40 not out off 20 balls with three fours and two sixes, Minz scored 31 not out off 14 balls with three sixes. These batting performances helped Jharkhand to score 262/3 in 20 overs. 

Among Haryana bowlers, Sumit Kumar (1/41), Anshul Kamboj (1/51), and Samant Jakhar (1/62) managed to claim one wicket each. All six Haryana bowlers had 10+ economy rates in the SMAT 2025-26 Final. 

The International League T20 (ILT20) 2025-26 continues with match 20, and in this, the Sharjah Warriorz (SWR) are set to take on the Dubai Capitals (DCP) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

The Sharjah Warriorz have been displaying good improvement in the tournament. After losing their first three matches, the team, led by Sikandar Raza, has come back in a strong manner, winning two matches consecutively. In their last outing, they beat the Gulf Giants by 11 runs.

The Dubai Capitals, under the leadership of Dasun Shanaka, have had a mixed experience so far in the tournament. Presently, they have won two and lost four games out of a total of six and are currently ranked fourth on the points table. In their last outing, the Capitals won by a margin of seven runs against MI Emirates.

SWR vs DCP: Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)

• Matches Played: 4
• Sharjah Warriorz Won: 4
• Dubai Capitals Won: 0
• Tied / No Result: 0

SWR vs DCP: Pitch Report

The Sharjah pitch has been a batting-friendly surface throughout the season. The average score to expect in the first innings is close to 190. Also, the majority of the matches played here have seen the team batting first score. It might be beneficial to win the toss and bat.

See Also: IND vs SA, 5th T20I: Head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

SWR vs DCP: Predicted Playing XIs

Sharjah Warriorz (SWR):

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Johnson Charles, Sikandar Raza (c), James Rew (wk), Tom Abell, Dwaine Pretorius, Adil Rashid, Ethan D'Souza, Harmeet Singh, Taskin Ahmed, Wasim Akram

Impact Player: Matheesha Pathirana

Dubai Capitals (DCP):

Leus du Plooy, Shayan Jahangir (wk), Jordan Cox, Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka (c), James Neesham, Mohammad Nabi, David Willey, Haider Ali, Mustafizur Rahman, Jawadullah

Impact Player: Waqar Salamkheil

India (IND) and South Africa (SA) will face each other in the 5th and final T20I of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Friday, December 19. This match will also mark the end of the all-format tour.

India are leading the T20I series 2–1 and need one more win to seal the series. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team has been performing well and will want to finish the series on a positive note in front of the home crowd. India have been playing good cricket and would be optimistic about this final encounter as well.

South Africa cannot win the series now, but they will aim to level it 2–2 and end the tour on a positive note. The Proteas showed their potential with a big win in the second T20I but were outplayed in the other matches.  Aiden Markram and his team will be looking to give their best fight to avoid a series loss.

IND vs SA: Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)

• Matches Played: 34
  
• India Won: 20
  
• South Africa Won: 13
  
• No Result / Tied: 1

IND vs SA: Pitch Report

The Narendra Modi Stadium’s pitch generally assists batsmen, especially during the first innings. As play wears on, it may become slow, which will make it difficult to chase. The average first-innings score is about 180. Teams batting first have won more times here, so the captain winning toss likely chose to bat first.

See Also: BBL 2025-26 Match 6: HEA vs SCO head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

IND vs SA: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

South Africa (SA):

Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje

The Big Bash League (BBL) 2025–26 continues with Match 6, where Brisbane Heat (HEA) will take on Perth Scorchers (SCO) at The Gabba, Brisbane, on Friday, December 18.

The Brisbane Heat began their campaign with a 14-run loss to Melbourne Renegades. Although it was a loss, there were some encouraging signs emerging. Jack Wildermuth took three wickets, and Colin Munro and Jimmy Peirson aggregated half-centuries. However, the team fell short in the end. The Heat will now look to bounce back and register their first win of the season.

The Perth Scorchers had a better start to their campaign. They won their opening match by five wickets in a rain-affected game. Cooper Connolly played a key role with a match-winning half-century. The Scorchers will look to maintain this momentum and get on track in this tournament.

HEA vs SCO: Head-to-Head Record (T20s)

• Matches Played: 24
  
• Brisbane Heat Won: 8
  
• Perth Scorchers Won: 16
  
• Tied / No Result: 0

See Also: Shubman Gill ruled out of IND vs SA 5th T20I match- Know why

HEA vs SCO: Pitch Report

The wicket at The Gabba generally possesses decent bounce and pace in order to assist the fast bowlers in the initial stages of the match. Batters can freely score runs once they settle. A first-innings score of around 150–160 is considered competitive. Teams winning the toss may prefer to bowl first.

HEA vs SCO: Predicted Playing XIs

Brisbane Heat (HEA):

Colin Munro, Jack Wildermuth, Nathan McSweeney (c), Matt Renshaw, Max Bryant, Hugh Weibgen, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Xavier Bartlett, Shaheen Afridi, Liam Haskett, Patrick Dooley

Perth Scorchers (SCO):

Mitchell Marsh, Finn Allen (wk), Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Ashton Turner (c), Laurie Evans, Nick Hobson, Ashton Agar, Joel Paris, Brody Couch, Mahli Beardman

Shubman Gill is all set to miss the remaining India vs South Africa T20I match (IND vs SA 5th T20I). According to the latest update received on Thursday, because of a toe injury, the top-order batter is out from the match. The fifth match of the series is very crucial for both of the teams after the cancellation of the fourth game in Lucknow.

According to the latest reports, Shubman Gill suffered an injury during the nets on December 16th, which forced him to rule out the match which is scheduled to be played on December 19th at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Team India is currently leading the series by 2-1 with only one match to play. If South Africa is able to win the match, then the scoreline will be 2-2, and if India wins, then it will be 3-1 for them.

For this important match, the Men in Blue were expecting a standout performance from Gill. In the first two matches, the right-hander was off-colour but got some crucial runs in the third match. His opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, also scored a fair amount of runs in the previous match against South Africa.

Read More: 'What a pleasant surprise...'- Allu Arjun shares Instagram story to thank Rohit Sharma

Shubman Gill ruled out of IND vs SA 5th T20I for another injury

But still, BCCI officials are waiting for a final update on the latest injury of the vice-captain of the team. Gill suffered a leg injury after being hit by a ball. An official response from the BCCI is still awaited regarding his absence, media reports stated. As there is very little time in hand, selectors are not going to announce any replacement of Gill. Instead, they can show trust in their backup option, which can be Sanju Samson, who is a proven opener.

He suffered a neck injury during the Test series against South Africa, forcing him to be hospitalised. India then suffered a 2-0 defeat. He was subsequently ruled out of the ODI series as well. After recovering from the injury, he returned for the 5-match T20I series. Though his current form was not satisfying, as he managed only 32 runs in three innings and was dismissed once without scoring.

It was pretty surprising for many, as Rohit Sharma and Allu Sirish shared the same screen for commercial reasons. The commercial, which also features Rohit Sharma’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention. Allu Arjun was also surprised to see Rohit and Sirish in the same space. Through an Instagram story, Allu Arjun expressed his feelings after watching the commercial video.

Arjun proudly celebrated the moment as his younger brother Allu Sirish appeared alongside the Indian cricket icon for a video. "What a pleasant surprise… Wow! Siri. So happy and proud of you. Congratulations to everyone on this wonderful achievement and my special respect to Rohit garu," Allu Arjun wrote in his Instagram story.

Allu Sirish is also a widely celebrated actor in the Indian film industry, especially in the southern regions. Srirastu Subhamastu, Okka Kshanam, ABCD: American Born Confused Desi and Urvashivo Rakshasivo are some of the films where he enjoyed a fair amount of success. On the other side, Allu Arjun needs no introduction. The movie 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' went viral on all social media platforms, and it proved to be an instant success instantly.

Read More: Watch: RCB's new player Kanishk Chouhan's aggressive batting video in Asia Cup U-19

Allu Arjun shared an Instagram story to thank Rohit Sharma

Allu Arjun Instagram story for Rohit Sharma🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/oMc5z6OTYv

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) December 18, 2025

Like Arjun, Sirish is also grateful to work with the iconic cricketer. He stated that the amount of love he received was beyond any explanation and brought some special experiences as well.

"Being part of the campaign alongside Rohit Sharma was a truly special experience. The warmth and simplicity of the film, and the love it has received, make it even more meaningful. My brother’s generous words of praise and the way we always support each other make me genuinely happy," Sirish said.

When Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) picked Rishabh Pant as the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), they perhaps hoped for instant success. And that cost them massively. Lucknow ended at the seventh position in the points table of the IPL 2025 with the help of six victories at a net run rate of -0.376.

Rishabh Pant was pressurized with the leadership duties, which took its toll on his batting as the left-handed batter ended with only 269 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 133.16 with the help of one half-century and one century at the best score of unbeaten 118 runs. Lucknow will hope to see their captain coming with a fresh mindset.

See Also: Punjab Kings (PBKS) strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

For them, the biggest contribution in the batting department came from the opening batter, Mitchell Marsh, who smashed 627 runs in 13 innings at an average of 48.23 and a strike rate of 163.70 with the help of six half-centuries and one century at the best score of 117. He will need to repeat such heroics in 2026.

Lucknow Super Giants’ strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Lucknow couldn’t get a finish in the auction, having released David Miller from the squad. Late in the auction, they went after Josh Inglis and signed him for INR 8.6 crore, which is too costly for a place, who will remain available only for four games of the entire season due to his wedding.

LSG full squad ahead of IPL 2026

Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Aiden Markram, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Josh Inglis, Mukul Choudhary, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Rathi, M Siddharth, Akash Singh, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Mayank Yadav, Naman Tiwari

There is no doubt that Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram will open the batting for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026. Just like Marsh, Markram was equally in form during the previous IPL. The right-handed battered bat matched 445 runs in 30 innings at an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.82 with the help of five fifties at the best score of 66.

This will be followed by Nicholas Pooran at number three. The Southpaw cracked 524 runs in 14 innings of IPL 2025 at an average of 43.66 and a strike rate of 196.25 with the help of five half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 87 runs. That will be massive firepower for the side if Pant and their number 5 batter, Ayush Badoni, come into form.

Moreover, Lucknow will also have the services of Wanindu Hasaranga in IPL 2026. The Sri Lankan spin allrounder can bowl four overs at any phase of the innings and provide them with some vital batting at number seven. In the pace bowling department, Lucknow will have the experience of Muhammad Shami.

Last year, the franchise didn’t Mayank for most of the tournament. But if he remains fully fit for 2026, then the right-arm pacer can take care of the middle overs of the innings. Digvesh Rathi and Shahbaz Ahmed will go through the spin department of the side.

The biggest issue for this franchise will be the injury-prone bowlers. Their new signing, Anrich Nortje, is another such member of the list who hasn’t played a lot of games in the last couple of seasons.

LSG's strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk.), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Mohammad Shami, Mayank Yadav.

Impact player: Digvesh Rathi.

During the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals (DC) had two halves of the campaign. They ended the tournament in fifth position in the event with seven victories in 14 clashes at a net run rate of +0.111. However, they could have sweetly progressed into the playoffs, having won five of the last six encounters.

Meanwhile, they faced five defeats in the last six fixtures of the competition, which saw the Axar Patel-led side lose the momentum and fail to qualify for the event. For the franchise, their opening batter and the wicket-keeper, KL Rahul, was the biggest contributor with the help of 539 runs in 13 innings at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149, thanks to three fifties and one century.

See Also: Mumbai Indians (MI) strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Abhishek Porel was equally good at the top for his decent performance of 301 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 146.82 with the help of one century, while Tristan Stubbs has slammed 300 runs in 13 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of over 150 with the best score of undefeated 41 runs.

Delhi Capitals’ strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

The Capitals started the auction with the signing of David Miller for the base price of INR 2 crore and ended it with another base price buy of Kyle Jamieson at INR 1.5 crore. In between, even with a small purse, they perhaps made use of the auction beautifully and got the required players.

DC full squad ahead of IPL 2026

KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Ben Duckett, Prithvi Shaw, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Pathum Nissanka, Ashutosh Sharma, David Miller, Sameer Rizvi, Sahil Parakh, Axar Patel, Vipraj Nigam, Kyle Jamieson, Auqib Nabi, Madhav Tiwari, T Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, Dushmantha Chameera.

Rahul is anticipated to open with either Ben Duckett or Pathum Nissanka for the next season. All of those three players are suitable options for wicket-keeping. Even if they want, they can go with Prithvi Shaw at the opening position, which will open up an extra foreign slot for the Capitals at the top order.

At number three, Delhi can have Nitish Rana, followed by Tristan Stubbs at number four. Axar Patel will walk at number five in the batting order. One of the positions where the Capitals struggled in the last season of the IPL was their lower middle order. And this year, they will have the services of David Miller for the spot.

Both Stubbs and Miller can be brilliant spin hitters, along with their thunderbolt fielding, which is also an important aspect in the shortest format of the game. Ashutosh Sharma will walk at number seven along with Vipra Singh at 8.

There is no doubt of Mitchell Stark and T Natarajan being part of the playing 11 along with Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep’s four overs, along with Axar’s four, will take care of the middle overs for the Capitals. Natarajan could not do well in the death overs last season despite being paid INR 10 crore in the last season. He hopes to turn the tables this year.

If Delhi goes with one of the foreign players at the top, then they have to go with Auqib Nabi as the impact player. Otherwise, they will have the option of either picking Lungi Ngidi, Dushmantha Chameera, or Kyle Jamieson in the eleven.

DC’s strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

KL Rahul (wk.), Ben Duckett/Prithvi Shaw, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi/Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc.

Impact Player: T Natarajan.

After a long time, Punjab Kings (PBKS) got it right in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting, as they ended as the runners-up of the campaign, losing the final against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Punjab hopes to continue the same success mantra in the 2026 season.

One of the biggest reasons for the success of the franchise was their opening batter, Priyansh Arya, who smashed 475 runs in 17 innings at an average of 27.94 and a strike rate of 179.24 with the help of two half-centuries and one century at the best score of 103. He hopes to showcase another such edition with the bat.

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Their captain, Shreyas Iyer, was equally excellent with the bat in the middle order of the side as they cracked 604 runs in 17 innings of the competition at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, scoring six half-centuries at the best score of undefeated 97 runs.

Punjab Kings’ strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Punjab didn’t lift its paddle in the first five hours of the auction. They didn’t actually have any gap in the squad, apart from Josh Inglis, whom they left out, given he won’t be available for more than four games of the season due to his wedding. They also needed some injury placements, which they completed in the bidding war.

Punjab Kings full squad for IPL 2026

Harnoor Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shreyas Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ben Dwarshuis, Cooper Connolly, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Praveen Dubey, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Vishal Nishad, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur.

In the opening pair, the Kings won’t need to think much over Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who drilled 549 runs in 17 innings of the last IPL at an average of 32.29 and a strike rate of 160.52 with the help of four half-centuries at the best score of 91. At number three, they will have Shreyas, followed by Nehal Wadhera at four.

Mitchell Owen can now straightaway come into the eleven at number five and blast the big shots he has been known for. But as his replacement, the franchise also signed the young and aggressive Australian batter, Cooper Connolly, who can also provide a few overs of left-arm spin.

In the middle order, the toss-up will be between Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai, where the latter is likely to get his place in the eleven. The Afghanistan star bowled really well in the last season and added some vital runs with the bat whenever required, and may look to continue the same in the 2026 campaign.

Shashank Singh can end up being at number seven as their impact player, having bailed them out on many occasions in the tournament. Marco Jansen has developed his skills with the bat and ball and can prove to be handy with the new ball and later in the death overs. Arshdeep Singh brings the left-arm angle into the game, while the rocket pace of Lockie Ferguson. Ben Dwarshuis could be his replacement.

And last but not least, Yuzvendra Chahal, who has a new career with the Punjab Kings, as he earned so much success in the IPL 2025.

PBKS strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk.), Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis/Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson/Ben Dwarshuis.

Impact player: Yuzvendra Chahal.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) didn’t enjoy their last season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they finished at the penultimate position of the points table with four wins in 10 clashes at a net run rate of -0.549. From the beginning of the campaign, they didn’t get their wicket-keeper opening batter and captain, Sanju Samson, and had to make changes in the eleven.

However, the Royals made a massive move before the auction, which saw them trade in their former spin all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), along with Sam Curran. Both of them are quite guaranteed to be in their starting XI.

See Also: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Riyan Parag can now be the full-time leader of the franchise in the absence of Samson. But it can also come down to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will be up for the leadership role, having a long future across formats for the Indian side. This added responsibility will also help him grow his caliber for the national side.

Rajasthan Royals’ strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Rajasthan made the massive buy of the Indian spinner, Ravi Bishnoi, for a price of INR 7.20 crore, as they anyway needed replacements for both Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. They can now remain assured of the eight overs from Ravindra Jadeja and Bishnoi in the middle overs.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) full squad for IPL 2026

Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Aman Rao, Dhruv Jurel, Ravi Singh, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Jofra Archer, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Sushant Mishra, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Brijesh Sharma.

There is no doubt for the franchise opening with their two southpaws – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The latter drilled 252 runs in seven innings of the IPL 2025 at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 206.55 with the help of one fifty and one century to his name. He has also now become more mature with time.

Jaiswal will hope to continue the same success of the last season when he smashed 559 runs in 14 innings at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 160 with the help of six half-centuries at the best score of 75. At number three, they can keep Lhuan-dre-Pretorious and follow it with Riyan Parag.

The minor issue could be having three left-handed batters in the top order. However, that doesn’t make a massive difference in the shortest format of the game. Another southpaw, Shimron Hetmyer, walks at number six for the franchise, just after the wicket-keeper batter, Dhruv Jurel.

Jadeja and Curran mean the Royals have got special players at number seven and eight. The latter can be a fine option in the middle overs and death, using his slower deliveries to fox the bowlers. Meanwhile, they hope for a far better performance from the Indian pacers- including Sandeep Sharma, who continues to impress in the IPL even with the growing age.

They will also have Tushar Deshpande in the eleven, along with Jofra Archer and Ravi Bishnoi. They don’t have the backup of Jurel, which will be tricky at times. In place of Archer, who would need to be rested in the middle of the event, the franchise can use Adam Milne with the new ball or bring Nandre Burger’s left-arm pace.

RR’s strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-dre-Pretorious, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk.), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.

Impact player: Sandeep Sharma.

Hosts New Zealand are in the driving seat on the opening day of the Mount Maunganui Test, where the Blackcaps openers set a record partnership for the opening wicket in home Test history.

It is the third and final Test of the series, which is a part of the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship. Leading the series by 1-0, New Zealand chose to bat first after winning the toss. At the stumps on the opening day, New Zealand scored 334/1 in 90 overs.

Watch: Nathan Lyon becomes Australia’s 2nd leading Test wicket-taker during 3rd Ashes 2025/26 Test

New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway put 323 runs partnership: Highest Test opening partnership for New Zealand at home

New Zealand openers, captain Tom Latham and former Chennai Super Kings star Devon Conway, set a giant 323-run partnership for the first wicket. While Latham scored 137 runs off 246 balls with 15 fours and one six, Conway scored 178 not out off 279 balls with the help of 25 fours. Experienced Caribbean pacer Kemar Roach got the only wicket of the day in the 87th over. 

It was the second-highest opening partnership for New Zealand in their Test cricket history, while also recording the highest first-wicket partnership for the Blackcaps in home Test history. Their record opening wicket partnership in Test cricket was 387 runs by Terry Jarvis and Glenn Turner against the hosts West Indies during the 1972 Georgetown Test. 

The previous home record for the highest Test opening partnership for New Zealand was 276 runs between Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills during the 1930 Wellington Test against England. 

The 323-run opening partnership also became New Zealand's seventh-highest partnership for any wicket in a home Test innings. 

Devon Conway already scores his second highest Test score

Conway, who made his Test debut with 200 runs during the 2021 Lord's Test against the hosts England, scored his second-highest Test score and third Test 150 on the first day of the Mount Maunganui Test on Thursday (December 18). With 22 more runs, he will record his second Test double century, and with one more run, he will set his new highest Test score record.

ADKR vs GG Match Preview

Gulf Giants come into this game with a higher points-table standing, an improved net run rate, and a better general balance across departments. The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are showing fight but are inconsistent, especially with batting depth and fatal execution. With in-form players such as Pathum Nissanka and Azmatullah Omarzai, the Giants seem to have an advantage over the Knight Riders. 

ADKR vs GG Match Details

• Match: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants, 19th Match, International League T20 2025

• Date: 18th December 2025

• Time: 08:00 AM IST

• Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

• Live Streaming: FanCode, Zee5

ADKR vs GG Weather Report

ADKR vs GG Pitch Report

We anticipate a balanced surface for this game. Pacers can expect some initial movement off the seam with the new ball.

Also Read: MS vs HB Dream11 Prediction Playing XI: 5th T20, BBL 2025-26

Top Batters to Watch – ADKR vs GG

• Pathum Nissanka (GG): 226 runs in this Tournament 

• Liam Livingstone (ADKR): 187 runs in this Tournament 

• Alishan Sharafu (ADKR): 166 runs in this Tournament 

Top Bowlers to Watch – ADKR vs GG

• Azmatullah Omarzai (GG): 9 wickets in this Tournament 

• Ajay Kumar (ADKR): 9 wickets in this Tournament 

• Andre Russell (ADKR): 7 wickets in this Tournament 

ADKR vs GG Recent Form

ADKR vs GG Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If ADKR Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 35–40

• Predicted Total: 165–175

• Match Result: ADKR to win

Scenario 2: If GG Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 45–50

• Predicted Total: 180–190

• Match Result: GG to win

Who will score the Most Runs?

Who will take the Most Wickets?

ADKR vs GG Predicted Playing XIs

Gulf Giants 

Pathum Nissanka, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(WK), James Vince(C), Moeen Ali, Kyle Mayers, Asif Khan, Liam Dawson, Aayan Afzal Khan, Chris Wood, Fred Klaassen, Matthew Forde

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 

Philip Salt(WK), Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone, Michael-Kyle Pepper, Alishan Sharafu, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Jason Holder(C), Shadley van Schalkwyk, Sunil Narine, Ajay Kumar

ADKR vs GG Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are entering the final stages of the ILT20 2025 campaign under increasing pressure, with their performance so far falling short of goals. Gulf Giants have had a mixed but competitive campaign in the ILT20, sitting in second place on the points table after six matches. The prediction leans slightly in favor of the Gulf Giants, given their strengths and recent results, mainly because of their balanced roster and track record in close games. Considering the team combination, Gulf Giants is expected to win this match.

ADKR vs GG Match FAQs