Sports News Highlights: India sweep Bangladesh series to consolidate top spot in WTC standings

The likes of India, England and South Africa will strive to end Australia's unrivalled dominance in the Women's T20 World Cup, beginning with a double header in Sharjah on Thursday.

Bangladesh will take on Scotland in the tournament opener in an afternoon fixture followed by a clash between Asian teams Pakistan and Sri Lanka later in the day at Sharjah.

Political unrest in Bangladesh forced the International Cricket Council to shift the 10-team event to the UAE back in August.

Both Bumrah and Ashwin picked 11 wickets each in Bangladesh series but ICC's calculation method allowed the seamer to reclaim top spot in rankings

Jasprit Bumrah has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings for bowlers. The Indian pacer achieved this after taking six wickets in India's recent seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Kanpur.

While both Bumrah and Ashwin claimed 11 wickets each in the two-Test series vs Bangladesh, improvement on past records helped the seamer rise to top of the table.

Zaheer Abbas has attributed the decline of Pakistan cricket to the overwhelming emphasis on T20 cricket and the influx of money in the shortest format and global leagues that has shifted focus of players away from the game.

This shift, according to Abbas, is one of the reasons Pakistan have struggled to maintain their once-dominant position in international cricket, particularly in Test matches.

The former Pakistan captain did not mince words when speaking about the leadership turbulence within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja reckons MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja will be the three no-brainer retentions for the Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction.

The ten IPL franchises can retain up to six players from their IPL 2024 squad, including a maximum of five capped players (Indian & overseas) and a maximum of two uncapped players ahead of the mega auction.

Ace Australian batter Steve Smith revealed that star India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja annoys him on the field because he is a good player and always finds a way to get in the battle.

As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy nears, Australian cricketers shared their thoughts on who they find the most annoying or amusing from Team India.

With the rivalry heating up, these revelations add even more excitement to the much-anticipated series, starting November 22nd.

India defeated Bangladesh in the second Test match at Kanpur, winning by seven wickets.

Key players Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mohammed Siraj were jointly awarded the 'Fielder of the Series' medal for their performances. The match took place as part of the ICC World Test Championship. India aimed for a decisive result and accomplished it.

In a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), fielding coach T Dilip lauded the team's intent to convert "half-chances" into "game-changing moments" irrespective of weather conditions they tackled.

Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are two of the greatest cricketers India has produced, and both have achieved legendary status in world cricket.

The debate about whether Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli is better is complex, as both players have excelled in different eras, formats, and conditions.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja don't just hunt as a spin duo now, they are also a pair of fine allrounders who can more than hold their own with the bat. They have evolved as cricketers together on the dusty surfaces at home and shared the burden of finishing off matches with the ball and also engineering crucial counterattacks with the bat.

However, Jadeja's feat of breaching the 300-Test wicket barrier here in Kanpur is a reminder of how understated he has been in India's scheme of things. Often, his credentials are overshadowed by Ashwin's tally of over 500 Test wickets.

The 11 Indian players took the field at the Green Park stadium on Tuesday like a pack of wolves about to prey on a rather tame Bangladesh batting line-up.

By lunch on Day 5, with three wickets a piece, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin had gobbled up the Bangladeshi batting for 146. And an hour into the second session, Yashasvi Jaiswal brought up his second belligerent half-century in the match as India knocked over the 96-run target with seven wickets in hand to sweep the series 2-0.

India triumphed over Bangladesh by seven wickets in the rain-affected second Test in Kanpur, completing a 2-0 series sweep on Tuesday. Despite more than two days of play being washed out, India wrapped up the match on the final day, showcasing their resilience and adaptability.

Bangladesh, bowled out for 146 in the extended morning session, left India needing just 95 runs to win on the final day. Yashasvi Jaiswal led India’s chase with a fluent 51, while Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 29 as India secured the win with more than a session to spare.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali praised India’s performance and highlighted the growing gap between India and Pakistan.

During the second Test match against Bangladesh in Kanpur, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that the team considered forfeiting an inning. This discussion emerged due to disruptions by rain and a wet outfield, which washed out more than two days of play time.

On Day 4, Bangladesh continued their inning at 107/3. With limited time left in the match, and India eager for a result, the team debated this strategy. Ashwin shared that they discussed this option because of the challenging weather and the intense heat impacting the players.

India, led by Rohit Sharma, showcased an extraordinary brand of aggressive cricket, securing a dominant seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in the second Test at Green Park, Kanpur, despite losing over two-and-a-half days to rain and a wet outfield.

The victory sealed a 2-0 series sweep and cemented India's position at the top of the World Test Championship standings, setting them up for a potential third consecutive final next year.

India's victory over Bangladesh in the Kanpur Test was a display of aggressive and innovative cricket, resulting in several records being shattered despite weather disruptions.

Babar Azam announced his decision to step down from Pakistan while-ball captaincy.

In a midnight post on Wednesday addressed to his fans, Azam said, I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month. It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role."

India pummelled Bangladesh to win the second Test and sweep the series 2-0 in Kanpur. The 7-wicket win increased their lead in WTC standings

India effectively needed two days to get the better of Bangladesh, winning the second Test by 7 wickets in Kanpur on Tuesday (1 October). The dominant win follows from an equally thumping 280-run triumph in the first Test in Chennai.

The 2-0 Test series clean sweep extended India's lead at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. It also kept the Rohit Sharma-led side unbeaten in Test matches at home, their last series loss coming in 2012. Since then, India have lost only four Test matches.