In a dramatic Duleep Trophy semifinal, N Jagadeesan missed his double century by three runs due to a mix-up with Rickey Bhui, as South Zone posted 536 against North Zone. Nishant Sindhu took 5 wickets for North.
Carlos Alcaraz showcased his dynamic game to defeat Novak Djokovic in the US Open semifinals, securing his spot in a third consecutive Grand Slam final. Djokovic, feeling the effects of age and physical limitations, acknowledged Alcaraz's superior energy. Alcaraz will now compete for the championship against either Jannik Sinner or Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Pakistan clinched a spot in the T20I tri-series final, defeating the United Arab Emirates by 31 runs. Fakhar Zaman's impressive unbeaten 77 and Abrar Ahmed's remarkable 4-9 spell led Pakistan's comeback from an early batting collapse to post a competitive total. Their dominant performance secured their place alongside Afghanistan in the upcoming final.
South Africa defeated England by 5 runs at Lord's, winning the ODI series. Matt Breetzke's impressive 85 runs and contributions from Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs helped South Africa post 330-8. England fought hard, with notable performances from Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer. However, Nandre Burger's crucial wickets secured the win for South Africa.
Faheem Ashraf cleverly addressed Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's absence after Pakistan's loss to Afghanistan in the tri-series. He emphasized the team's focus on winning, even amidst missing key players. Both Babar and Rizwan were excluded due to recent poor T20I performances, while Pakistan prepares to face UAE in their next match.
Irfan Pathan's forgettable IPL night in 2010, where MS Dhoni's explosive hitting secured a CSK victory and a spot in the semifinals, has resurfaced due to an old interview clip. In the clip, Irfan hinted at Dhoni's alleged hookah smoking and favoritism, sparking renewed debates and trolling related to Irfan's international career exit.
Ravichandran Ashwin is in talks to potentially become the first high-profile Indian cricketer to play in the Big Bash League. Cricket Australia has approached the veteran off-spinner, who recently retired from the IPL, with Melbourne being a possible destination.
Defending champions India enter the Asia Cup 2025 as favorites, despite a recent lack of T20I match practice. Irfan Pathan believes India's strong NCA system ensures adequate preparation, cautioning them mainly against Afghanistan's potent spinners. He also highlighted Shubman Gill's vice-captaincy as beneficial and revealed Rohit Sharma's desire to continue playing ODIs, contingent on maintaining fitness and game-time.
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa maintains his position as a top player. He is currently ranked fourth in the world. Vincent Keymer makes a significant jump in the rankings. He enters the top ten for the first time. Keymer's rise pushes him past chess legends. Nodirbek Abdusattorov experiences a drop in ranking. Wesley So improves his standing after a tournament win.