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Abhishek and Rinku fireworks help India start series in style

Published

3 weeks ago

2026/01/22

Priyan

Abhishek Sharma came out all guns blazing, as usual [Cricinfo]

Abhishek Sharma’s power-packed 84 off 35 balls at the top and Rinku Singh’s 44 not out off 20 towards the end set up India’s comprehensive 48-run win over New Zealand in the first of the five-match T20I series. The victory margin would have been even bigger had India not dropped two straightforward catches and fluffed a run-out chance.

After New Zealand opted to bowl, India came out with an ultra-aggressive approach. Each of India’s top five batters opened their accounts with a boundary. But it was Abhishek who carried on for the longest and hurt New Zealand the most, hitting five fours and eight sixes during his stay. Rinku’s innings ensured India finished with a dew-proof total.

In response, New Zealand lost their first two wickets with a solitary run on the board. Glenn Phillips kept their hopes alive with his 78 off 40 balls, which included four fours and six sixes. But once he was dismissed, an India win was hardly in doubt.

The only worry for them would be Axar Patel’s injury. He walked off the field after hurting his index finger on the bowling hand while attempting to stop a shot from Phillips off his own bowling, and didn’t return.

There was no shortage of action in the first six overs, with each side landing regular punches. Abhishek opened his account with a straight six off Jacob Duffy in the first over. Sanju Samson did so with a pulled four off Kyle Jamieson in the next. Three balls later, he pulled Jamieson for another four but the bowler had his revenge on the next delivery when Samson flicked one tamely to short midwicket.

Ishan Kishan, playing his first T20I in over two years, marked his return with a first-ball four over the bowler’s head. But he lasted just five deliveries; Duffy had him caught at extra cover with a slower ball. That reduced India to 27 for 2 in the third over. But Abhishek and Suryakumar Yadav kept attacking. Abhishek dealt in sixes, hitting four of those in the powerplay, while Suryakumar collected two overs and a six to take India to 68 for 2 after six overs.

New Zealand introduced spin after the powerplay, which further played into Abhishek’s hands. After cutting Ish Sodhi for a four, he collected three more off Phillips’ successive balls. He reached his half-century off just 22 balls, the fastest for an India batter against New Zealand in T20Is, bettering KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma’s record by one ball.

Suryakumar too contributed with back-to-back fours off Sodhi, the first his trademark ‘Supla’ shot over short fine leg and the second, and perhaps even better, a straight-bat drive through midwicket against a short ball. But just as it was looking like he was getting back to his best, Santner had him caught at long-on for 32 off 22.

Abhishek, though, showed no mercy. He launched Santner over deep square leg for his sixth six before hitting two more against Sodhi. He was looking for a third six of the over when he holed out to wide long-on.

Hardik Pandya hung around for a bit, scoring 25 off 16 to take India into the death overs. But the New Zealand seamers used the slower ball to get rid of him, and Shivam Dube and Axar on either side of him. With 13 balls left, Rinku had Arshdeep Singh for company, but he did not let India slow down. He got to face only one ball in the 19th over but kept the strike in the 20th, hitting Daryl Mitchell for two fours and two sixes in a 21-run over.

New Zealand did not have a great start, something you don’t want when chasing 239. Arshdeep removed Devon Conway in the first over, with Samson taking a one-handed stunner to his left. Arshdeep has now dismissed Conway in all four T20Is they have been face to face.

From the other end, Pandya had Rachin Ravindra caught at first slip for 1. Tim Robinson and Phillips took the side to 50 at the end of the powerplay but Varun Chakravarthy pegged them back with Robinson’s wicket in the seventh.

By the end of the seventh over, the required rate had crossed 14. But Phillips did not give up. He hit two sixes each off Varun and Axar and brought up his fifty in 29 balls. He was equally severe on Dube, launching him over deep midwicket, into the manual scoreboard for a 105-metre six. But when he attempted another big hit against Axar, he miscued and found long-on. New Zealand needed 108 from 6.3 overs at that time. Mark Chapman’s 39 off 24 and Mitchell’s 28 from 18 only reduced the margin of the defeat, which was still pretty heavy.

Brief scores:
India 238 for 7 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 10, Abhishek Sharma 84, Suryakumar Yadsv 32, Hardik Pandya 25, Rinku Singh 44*; Jacob Duffy 2-27, Kyle Jamieson 2-54, Kristian Clarke 1-40, Ish Sodhi 1-38, Mitchell Santner 1-37) beat New Zealand 189 for 7 in 20 overs (Tim Robinson 21, Glenn Phillips 78, Mark Chapman 39, Daryl Mitchell 28, Mitchell Sntner 20*; Arshdeep Singh 1-39, Hardik Pandya 1-20, Axar Patel 1-42, Shivam Dube 2-28, Varun Chakrawarthy 2-37) by 48 runs

[Cricinfo]

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New Zealand and South Africa look ahead to Super Eights in low-pressure contest

Published

29 mins ago

2026/02/14

Priyan

South Africa beat Afghanistan in their last game in what was a matter of inches [Cricinfo]

Wednesday afternoon’s all-time classic in Ahmedabad was a game of inches. A couple of inches this way or that, and Saturday night’s game, at the same venue, could have had a whole lot more riding on it.

But as things stand, New Zealand and South Africa look set for safe passage out of Group D and into the Super Eights, leaving Afghanistan bemoaning fate and small margins, and praying for miracles from UAE and Canada – or is probably unlikely to cut it.

There’s no mystery about which of the Super Eights groups New Zealand and South Africa will end up in either. Pre-tournament seedings already decided that.

So this game, which could have been one of the tastiest clashes of the tournament, pitting two title contenders and featuring several tactical sub-plots, doesn’t really have much riding on it at all.

It could still turn out to be one of the games of the tournament, of course, because that can happen when you put two T20 teams of elite power and skill on the field together. But the title of this section, big picture? There isn’t much of it at all.

He is one of South Africa’s greatest cricketers of all time, but is Kagiso Rabada under some pressure to hold his place in their first XI in T20Is? He has the pace and skills to operate in any phase, but he has had an indifferent time in T20Is of late. Rabada averages 34.55 with the ball since 2025, with an economy rate of 9.82. But in his defence, he has only played nine T20Is in this time, thanks to injury and workload management. The chaotic 20th over against Afghanistan, during which Rabada overstepped twice, shouldn’t put his spot in danger. But he’ll want to pick himself up and remind the world of the impact he can make at his best.

Rachin Ravindra looks like he could be the archetypal modern-day T20 No. 3, but his international record in the format is… not good, with a strike rate of 135.19, an average of 19.09, and just three half-centuries in 40 innings. All that doesn’t take away from Ravindra’s potential – which he has shown in flashes in recent weeks, in a pair of cameos against India – and he could make a big difference on Saturday if he and his fellow left-handers in New Zealand’s line-up could get stuck into Keshav Maharaj’s left-arm spin.

New Zealand played the same XI against both Afghanistan and UAE, and they seem unlikely to make any changes unless a used pitch prompts them to pick an extra spinner in Ish Sodhi.

New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy

South Africa replaced seam-bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch with spin-bowling allrounder George Linde when they played Afghanistan. They might, however, worry about having two left-arm fingerspinners in Linde and Maharaj against a New Zealand side with four left-hand batters in their likely top eight. Bosch, therefore, could come back in.

South Africa (probable): Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch/George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

[Cricinfo]

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Teacher recruitment examinations will be conducted in accordance with the relevant court decisions – PM

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/14

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the forthcoming two teacher recruitment examinations will be conducted in accordance with the relevant court decisions pertaining to the ongoing legal proceedings and further noted that, taking into consideration the requests received, steps have been taken to make a request to Court’s approval to revise the conditions of the effective date of degree completion.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a meeting held at Monaragala Royal College to brief education authorities of the Monaragala District on the new education reforms.

Under the new education reforms, Smart Boards will be provided to 132 schools in the Monaragala District as part of the program to equip secondary schools with modern technology. As a symbolic step under this initiative, Smart Boards were presented to 10 secondary schools under the Prime Minister’s patronage. This program is being implemented with the intervention of the Digital Task Force operating under the Prime Minister’s Office. It was also emphasized that a new digital policy, formulated with special attention to child protection, will be introduced in April.

As part of her visit to the Monaragala District on the 13 th of February, the Prime Minister observed the implementation of the new learning methodologies introduced for Grade One under the new education reforms. She visited Kumbukkana Sri Shanmugam Tamil Maha Vidyalaya and Maduruketiya Maha Vidyalaya in Monaragala to observe the educational activities of Grade One students.

Considering the increase of student numbers and the development of infrastructure facilities, the Prime Minister also approved a proposal submitted by the School Development Society to rename Maduruketiya Maha Vidyalaya as Monaragala Dharmaraja Maha Vidyalaya.

Teachers briefed the Prime Minister that the new education system, supported by revised workbooks and activity-based learning methods, has proven to be effective, with students participating enthusiastically.

Addressing education officials further at the meeting held at Monaragala Royal College, the Prime Minister stated:

“Although this will not provide a complete solution to the existing teacher vacancies, these examinations can offer considerable relief. According to the Court’s previous determination, the effective date of degree completion had been set as 30.06.2025. However, considering numerous requests and following the cabinet approval we have sought Court’s consent to revise this date. We will act in accordance with the decision granted.

Funds allocated for school infrastructure must be utilized transparently and in line with proper planning, and progress must be reported accordingly. We cannot move forward by dividing ourselves along national, provincial, rural, or urban lines. As education authorities, you must make swift and accurate decisions based on correct data.

Further, discussions are already underway within the Piriven Committee of the Ministry of Education to develop Piriven education and to address the issues faced by Piriven teachers.”

The event was attended by the members of the Maha Sangha, Uva Province Governor Attorney-at-Law Kapila Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce R.M. Jayawardhana, Member of Parliament Ajith Agalakada, Uva Provincial Education Secretary Nihal Gunarathne, and several officials from the education sector.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Latest News

Low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeastern Bay of Bengal around 15th February

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/14

Priyan

Special Weather Bulletin issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
Issued at 10.30 a.m. on 13 February 2026

A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeastern Bay of Bengal around 15th February.

The general public are requested to be attentive to the future forecasts and bulletins issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard