Desi Talk

20 SPORTS December 26, 2025 www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know Cricket – Asia Cup – Group A – India v Pakistan – Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – September 14, 2025 India’s Shubman Gill walks to the pavilion after he is stumped by Pakistan’s Mohammad Haris off the bowling of Saim Ayub Women’s Cricket: Smriti Mandhana Becomes First Indian Batter To Hit 4000 Runs In Women’s T20Is V isakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 21, 2025: Star Indian opener Smriti Mandhana scripted history as she became the first Indian to hit 4000 runs inWomen’s T20I cricket. The left-handed batter achieved this historic milestone during the first T20I against Sri LankaWomen at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Mandhana, who scored 25 runs during the opening T20I of the five-match series, also became the second woman to reach the landmark of 4000 runs in T20Is after New Zealand’s Suzie Bates (4716 runs). Additionally, Mandhana is also the quickest to do so in terms of balls taken (3227) than Bates, who took 3675 balls to reach the 4000 runs milestone. Also, Mandhana is just 42 runs away from scoring 10,000 runs in women’s international cricket. Mandhana has notched up 4007 runs in T20Is, 5322 runs in ODIs, and 629 runs in Test cricket to date. Coming to the match, Jemimah Rodrigues slammed a match-winning, unbeaten halfcentury that helped the Harmanpreet Kaur-led IndiaWomen to a dominating eightwicket win against Sri LankaWomen in the series opener on Sunday. With this commanding win, theWomen in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka. While chasing a 122-run target, Jemi- mah hammered an unbeaten 69 runs off 44 deliveries, with the help of 10 fours that helped IndiaWomen to chase down the target in just 14.4 overs. Jemimah also equalled Mithali Raj’s four 50-plus scores against Sri Lanka in T20Is. During the chase, Mandhana and Jemi- mah stitched a crucial 54-run partnership for the second wicket that put India into a commanding position. Jemimah also stitched an unbeaten 55- run stand for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made an un- beaten 15 that helped theWomen in Blue win the first T20I by eight wickets. Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Sri LankaWomen were restricted to 121/6 in their 20 overs. Sri Lanka opener Vishmi Gunaratne was the top scorer for the visitors, scoring 39 off 43 balls. Among the bowlers, Deepti Sharma was the most economical, returning figures of 1/20 in her four overs, which included a maiden. Kranti Gaud finished with 1/23 from three overs, while Shree Charani conceded 30 runs and picked up one wicket in her four overs. Brief scores: Sri LankaWomen 121/6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 39, Harshitha Samarawickrama 21; Deepti Shar- ma 1/20) vs IndiaWomen (Jemimah Rodrigues 69*, Smriti Mandhana 25; Inoka Ranaweera 1/17). -ANI Smriti Mandhana. PHOTO:ANI India Announces Squad For Inaugural Asian Legends Cup 2026 In Thailand R aipur (Chattisgarh) [India], December 21, 2025 : The Board for Veteran Cricket in India has officially an- nounced the Indian team squad for the inaugural Asian Legends Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from January 28 to February 4. The Asian Legends Cup is a first-of-its-kind conti- nental championship for veteran cricketers aged 40 and above and will feature six Asian teams — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, and Hong Kong. The tournament marks a historic milestone as India’s veteran team will participate in its first-ever Asia-level competition. Manpreet Gony has been named captain of the Indian side, with Jatin Saxena appointed as vice-captain. The squad has been selected based on performances in re- cent inter-zonal veterans’ tournaments and represents a balanced mix of experienced domestic performers from across the country. Speaking about the squad announcement, BVCI offi- cials stated that the team reflects the depth and strength of India’s veteran cricket ecosystem, which has been active for over two decades. The Asian Legends Cup is seen as a major step toward providing retired cricketers with a competitive interna- tional platform and strengthening veteran cricket across the continent. The Asian Legends Cup is expected to become an an- nual event, with plans underway to expand the concept further, including a potential Veterans’ World Cup. India Squad for Asian Legends Cup 2026 (Thailand): Manpreet Gony (captain), Jatin Saxena (vice-captain), Shadab Jakati, Amardeep Sonkar, Ajit Chandela, Vrjay Singh, Parvinder Singh, Kapil Rana, Mohammad Kaleem Khan, Deepak Sharma (wicketkeeper), Praveen Thapar, Vikram Batra (wicketkeeper),Naeem, Bal Raj, Gaurav Sachdeva, Narendra Meena, Lokesh Jain, Vineet Bansal. Additional Player: Chandrashekhar Khunte. -ANI India Legends logo. PHOTO:BCNI VIA ANI Cricket-Gill Dropped, Kishan Back For India’s T20 World Cup Title Defence N EW DELHI, Dec 20 (Reuters) – India’s test and one-day captain Shubman Gill could not find a place in their 15-member squad for next year’s home Twenty20World Cup, but stumper-batter Ishan Kishan returned to the side on Saturday (December 20, 2025). Opener Gill has gone 18 innings in T20 Internationals without a 50 and missed Friday’s match against South Africa with a foot injury. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson has impressed in limited opportunities and made a breezy 37 as Abhishek Shar- ma’s opening partner in the 30-run win over the South Africans in Ahmedabad. “It’s more to do with the combination that we want to play, or what the team management is comfortable withplay- ing,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar told reporters in Mumbai. “We felt the keeper at the top at this point gives us a lot more solidity than anywhere else in the team to play differ- ent combinations. “There are only 15 that we could have picked. Someone has to miss out. It’s him. It’s not because he’s not a good player.” Kishan was recalled after he led Jharkhand’s successful campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, smashing a hundred in Friday’s final against Haryana. The same squad will play a five-match home T20 series against New Zealand next month. Jasprit Bumrah will lead India’s pace attack that also contains left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh. Varun Chakaravarthy will spearhead the spin department, which also includes left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. India will also expect Hardik Pandya, their premier seam-bowling all-rounder, to play a crucial role in their title defence in the tournament to be played from Feb- ruary 7 to March 8 across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka. India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ti- lak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakara- varthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper) PHOTO:REUTERS/SATISH KUMAR By Amlan Chakraborty