Sports
Samson’s maiden T20I ton powers India’s series-sweeping win
Sanju Samson scored his maiden T20I century which rocketed India to a mammoth 297 for 6 – their highest T20I score and second-highest overall after Nepal’s 314 for 3. Samson blazed 111 off just 47 balls and was ably supported by Suryakumar Yadav (75 off 35) in a 173-run stand off just 69 balls. Hardik Pandya (47 off 18) and Riyan Parag (34 off 13) added the finishing touches with blistering cameos towards the end of the innings, that saw the hosts hit as many as 25 fours and 22 sixes. Riding on this big total, India cruised to a 3-0 series win with Bangladesh falling short by 133 runs in veteran Mahmudullah’s final T20I game.
Having opted to bat first in front of a festive Hyderabad crowd, India played the first over cautiously for only seven runs, which, as it turned out, was the most economical over of the innings. But the hosts immediately flicked on the switch in the second over as Samson hit four consecutive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed.
Tanzim Hasan picked up Abhishek Sharma after the batter miscued a pull to mid-wicket. Suryakumar wasted no time at the crease scoring a six to get off the mark. At the end of the PowerPlay, which featured a 19-run takedown of Tanzim, India had raced away to 82 for 1.
The removal of field restrictions made no difference. Samson brought up his 50 off 22 balls laying into Rishad Hossain in a 16-run over. Samson played a wonderful shot over extra-cover off Mustafizur for a maximum. Things got much worse for Rishad in his second over as Samson tore into slot deliveries by smashing five consecutive sixes in a 30-run over. The wheels had completely fallen off for Bangladesh by then as Taskin bowled a beamer which Suryakumar followed with a six to bring up the 150-run partnership.
Samson hit a four back over Mahedi’s head to bring up his century off just 40 balls. He fell a few balls later after scoring two more boundaries, holing out to deep-square leg. Suryakumar fell in the next over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Mahmudullah, but there was more punishment awaiting Bangladesh.
Tanzim’s horrid night continued as Pandya scored 21-runs off him while Parag toyed with Mahedi at the other end. Rounding off an innings to forget, Bangladesh also missed two simple run-out chances, one of them in rather comical fashion as Parag and Hardik were stranded mid-pitch but Litton Das lobbed the throw above the bowler’s head. Parag was caught on the boundary in the next over but the fielder had touched the ropes, adding six more runs to the score. But Taskin, the bowler, had the last laugh as Parag nicked a scoop to Litton. Tanzim picked up Hardik and Nitish Reddy off back-to-back balls but birthday boy Rinku Singh clinched a six off the last ball of the innings.
In response, Bangladesh were never really in the chase. Parvez Hossain Emon was bounced out first ball by Mayank Yadav, which was gloved to Parag at first slip. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Tanzid Hasan took the attack to India in the next two overs scoring 30 runs across them. But Tanzid was caught off Sundar at short third-man. Litton found his feet immediately with five boundaries in an over off homeboy, Nitish. Shanto was too early into his reverse sweep off Ravi Bishnoi, as the legspinner bowled a wicket-maiden.
Towhid Hridoy and Litton had a 53-run partnership, not giving up on the fight until the latter holed out to Tilak Varma in the deep. Mahmudullah fell for just 8 in his last T20I. Varun Chakravarthy bowled an economical spell conceding only 23 runs in his four overs as the required run-rate went through the roof. Nitish scalped Mahedi for three while Rishad was caught at long-off for a duck off Bishnoi. Towhid Hridoy brought up his 50 with a six and remained unbeaten on 63, the only shining light for Bangladesh with the bat. It wasn’t close to enough as Bangladesh scampered to 164 whilst India closed out the demolition job.
Brief Scores:
India 297/6 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 111, Suryakumar Yadav 75; Tanzim Hasan 3-66, Mahmudullah 1-26) beat Bangladesh 164 for 7 in 20 overs (Towhid Hridoy 63*, Litton Das 42; Ravi Bishnoi 3-30, Mayank Yadav 2-32) by 133 runs
The second T20I between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which was to be played at Dambulla was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.
In its fourth season, the WPL now feels part of the system, shaping careers and standards in increasingly visible ways. Most notably, it played a part in India winning their first ODI World Cup last year. How ’bout that. Almost silly that there was a time when this idea struggled to get off the ground.
While rivalries are still taking shape in this five-team league, Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru has all the ingredients of being the best one. Borrowing from its IPL counterpart, it pits two of the biggest names in Indian cricket, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, against each other. They are also the only teams to have lifted the trophy so far, with MI holding a slender 4-3 head-to-head advantage
There is an extra layer of significance this time. Harmanpreet and Mandhana return to the venue where the defining night of their international careers played out two months ago. The DY Patil Stadium will stir fond memories not just for the two captains but also for the India players on both sides, even if the sea of MI blue in the stands is expected to outweigh RCB’s red, black and gold. It was here that the duo shared an emotional hug after India clinched the World Cup, before circling the ground together, singing and dancing long into the night. On the eve of the WPL opener, both admitted those memories came flooding back as they walked into the stadium.
Harmanpreet has since spoken of the venue becoming a hub for women’s cricket in India, a sentiment Mandhana echoed ahead of the season. “Whenever you enter the ground, you remember exactly where the last catch was taken,” she said, recalling Harmanpreet’s leap at extra cover to dismiss South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk and seal the win in the final. “This is still just one-and-a-half months later, but even after 20 years, if we come back to this ground, we are still going to remember exactly what happened on November 2.”
The friendship remains untouched but once the WPL begins, Harmanpreet said the focus will be on “how we can win against each other.”
For defending champions MI, the template established in the inaugural season – continuity, role clarity, a strong core and enviable depth – continues to serve them well. Retaining five players ahead of the auction preserved the backbone of the batting, while the return of familiar faces ensured stability. While other teams opted for reshuffles, MI doubled down on their processes, backing experience, investing in youth and trusting a leadership group that has grown with the league.
RCB arrive with a sense of renewal after missing the knockouts last season. Mandhana remains the face of the team, supported by T20 firepower in Georgia Voll, Grace Harris, Richa Ghosh and Nadine de Klerk, though Ellyse Perry’s withdrawal leaves questions at the top. Their bowling, however, looks formidable, with pace from Lauren Bell, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar and de Klerk, and spin options in Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil and Harris.
G Kamalini 17, was retained by MI ahead of the auction alongside players like Harmanpreet, Sciver-Brunt, Matthews and Amanjot, which is an indicator of how highly she is rated. A left-handed wicketkeeper-batter with the ability to go big, Kamalini offers flexibility in the line-up. She made her WPL debut last season and announced herself in just her second game, against RCB, holding her nerve to seal a last over victory, She continued to impress in the domestic circuit, which earned her a maiden India call-up late last year for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, where she made her international debut. Captain Harmanpreet indicated ahead of this season that Kamalini would be given a “special role”, suggesting a move up the order, and said she expects the teenager to be one of the “main players” in the team.
After missing WPL 2025 and spending more than a year sidelined by a series of injuries, spin-bowling allrounder Shreyanka Patil returns to the tournament that launched her into prominence. She was just 20 when she debuted for RCB in 2023, and her rise was swift, with India T20I and ODI caps following later that year. Patil enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2024, finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker as RCB went on to lift their maiden title. She made her return from injury at the Women’s CPL last September, featured in the domestic season for Karnataka, and was one of four players retained by RCB ahead of the auction. In the lead-up to the season, Patil has focused on fine-tuning her offspin, batting and overall fitness during a month-long conditioning camp at the private academy where she trains.
As Sri Lanka arrive on the doorstep of another World Cup, there is the usual attendant instability. The captain has been switched out but the team is still losing against good opposition. The top order is being rejigged frequently, and yet consistent scores are not forthcoming. There are strong elements in the attack – such as the bowling of Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga – but there is fragility elsewhere. It might not take much to turn them around though. The raw materials of a decent T20 side are there.
Pakistan, meanwhile, have no serious work-ons from Wednesday, save for the catching and ground fielding. Head coach Mike Hesson described their big win in the first T20I as “very clinical”, praising not only the bowling that decked Sri Lanka for 128, but the top order batters who aced the chase as well.
That they are putting up such performances while key players – such as Babar Azam – are away in the Big Bash League, is especially impressive. If they are to put together a good campaign in the forthcoming World Cup, Wednesday’s win might have been the day they planted their flag in Sri Lanka. So far, they seem at ease in these conditions.
In the T20I tri-series in Pakistan last month, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan had topped the run list, hitting 191 runs at a strike rate of 147. He has now made a bright start in Sri Lanka, hitting 51 off 36 in his first innings on the island. Farhan was especially good at taking down the round-arm seam of Nuwan Thushara, which caused significant problems for Sri Lanka, who require early wickets from Thushara. Farhan’s dominance will make Sri Lanka think twice about playing Thushara in this match.
Second on that run chart from the tri-series last month was Kamil Mishara with 169 runs at a strike rate of 139. He couldn’t get going on Wednesday, registering a three-ball duck after he spooned a catch to mid off. But he has shown glimpses of serious talent at the top level. Impactful innings in this series and the one to come against England will likely seal his spot at the top of the order.
The Dambulla surface for the first ODI was conducive to spin. At this time of year, showers are possible, but are unlikely to last long enough to wash out the match.
Pakistan may see no need to change their XI while Sri Lanka may consider bringing in Matheesha Pathirana for Thushara, which will mean Dasun Shanaka is required to bowl with the new ball.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt.), Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana/Nuwan Thushara
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