When Even the Balls Were Fixed Stadium chairs are bad enough. But cricket without balls? That’s not just corruption — that’s sacrilege. Yet the HCA managed to pull it off, with the finesse of a street-corner hustler palming cards. The forensic audit uncovered the great cricket ball scam of 2020–22. It revolved around two shady…
New Delhi: Beth Mooney matched the searing Delhi heat with a blistering century, powering Australia to their joint highest-ever innings total of 412 all out against India in the series-deciding third women’s ODI here on Saturday. Australia had posted 412/3 against Denmark in 1997. With the effort, Australia also posted the highest-ever innings total against…
Abu Dhabi: India beat Oman by 21 runs after the ICC associate member nation put up a spirited show with the bat in the last group league fixture of the Asia Cup here on Friday. Sanju Samson struck a 45-ball 56, and Abhishek Sharma provided the early momentum with a 15-ball 38 as India scored…
In my continuing campaign to trace the steep decline of Hyderabad cricket and explore ways to revive its past glory, this week I had the privilege of meeting one of the forgotten stalwarts of the game—Mahender Kumar. A prolific all-rounder of the 1960s, he belonged to that rare breed of cricketers who combined artistry with…
MS Shanker In India, dynasties don’t fade; they just change uniforms. Some wear crisp white kurtas and sit in Parliament; others slip into blazers and preside over cricket associations. Either way, they rule. Elections and trials are for the aam aadmi; succession is strictly for the khaas aadmi’s son, daughter, nephew, or, when imagination runs…
Dubai: A determined Sri Lanka will take inspiration from their unbeaten group campaign and start as favourites against an inconsistent Bangladesh in the first Super Four match of the Asia Cup here on Saturday. Ably led by Charith Asalanka, the Lankans finished on top of Group B with three wins from as many matches, ahead…
MS Shanker The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), already under fire for a series of administrative lapses, has once again invited criticism—this time over its handling of women’s team selections. Despite being reduced to a truncated apex council after recent controversies, the remaining office-bearers had an opportunity to rebuild confidence. Instead, their latest decision has raised…
Abu Dhabi: A disappointed Rashid Khan on Thursday lamented Afghanistan’s exit from the Asia Cup after a six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in their last group stage fixture here, saying they had “great preparation” for the tournament. Afghanistan, touted to be one of the sides to beat in the eight-team tournament, missed out on a…
Dubai: During the two months in England when he was warming the bench, the easy way would have been to blame anyone and everyone for his failure to fit into India’s playing XI, but Kuldeep Yadav chose to traverse the tougher route. While spinners who can bat are in vogue these days, Kuldeep has his…
Dubai: Pakistan may have withdrawn the threat to pull out of the Asia Cup but their objection to match referee Andy Pycroft still stands, and the PCB has shot off another letter to the ICC demanding that the Zimbabwean be swapped with Richie Richardson for the team’s remaining games. It has been reliably learnt that…
