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We know how it feels to lose; now looking forward to winning a final – Harmanpreet

Published

12 months ago

2025/11/2

Priyan

we-as-a-team-werent-shaken-even-once-eventhough-we-lost-three-big-matches "We, as a team, weren't shaken even once eventhough we lost three big matches" [Cricbuzz]

When Shreya Ghosal sang the national anthem in Guwahati, Harmanpreet Kaur stood still – eyes closed, lips moving in perfect sync, truly savouring each one of those first 52 seconds of a home World Cup as captain. In Colombo, a young volunteer nearly missed the chance to walk out with the teams for the national anthems since the player assigned to accompany her was unwell. Harmanpreet stepped in with a smile, put her arm around the kid’s shoulder, and walked out holding the hands of two children – one on either side.

In Navi Mumbai, ahead of the high-stakes semifinal against Australia, she then did the unprecedented. Harmanpreet’s impromptu decision to hand over her huddle to a young girl for a quick pep-talk was a tiny peek into how she leads now. It’s Harmanpreet’s first World Cup as captain, potentially her last too, and she has been unafraid to show her unguarded, expressive self.

Maybe it’s a reflection of how she’s feeling on the inside too. When India sealed their final berth, she wept happy, unrestrained tears, while tightly hugging everyone in sight. In 2017, it was her herculean effort that had carried the team past the mighty Australian side, a knock that turned her into the icon she is now. Eight years later, having stumbled more than a few times against that very opponent in the meantime, it was Jemimah Rodrigues’ epic that scripted that moment. After doing her part in setting the stage for it, Harmanpreet sat in the dugout earnestly watching the circle complete – a torch quietly passed on. In those liberal tears was a story of how far Indian women’s cricket has come since that moment of reckoning in 2017.

There’s another, clearer hint of this evolution – and Harmanpreet is savouring that too.

“I mean, there are rarely a handful of such days when there’s pressure for these small things. I think it’s good that not just cricket, but there is pressure on us for arranging tickets too,” India captain said on the eve of the final, leaving everyone in the room in splits.

The clamour for tickets was evident from all the extra security that had to be called in at the DY Patil’s box-office gates with hundreds thronging the slip road parallel to the Mumbai-Pune highway a day after India’s record chase to knock Australia out in a tough semifinal draw. The country – and certainly the players – know the energy and effort it takes, as well as the emotional upheaval involved in taking down the unanimous pre-tournament favourites.

“The semifinal was a very high-pressure game and very intense. After that, recovery was something which we all paid more attention to, because the fresher we are, mentally, [for the final] the better it will be. We’ve been working hard for so many years… so skill-wise we know we have done a lot. Now, it’s only about keeping ourselves fresh for tomorrow. Recovery is something which we all talk about, and everybody is really taking that very seriously and hopefully tomorrow we will feel fresher for the main game,” Harmanpreet shared.

It’s India’s third time in a World Cup final in 50-overs cricket, and first time in front of what is expected to be a sold-out crowd in Navi Mumbai. India aren’t new to the big stage, and they have peaked at the right moment once they hit the familiar turf where the title clash will be their fourth straight game now. However, in between was a string of three narrow losses, one apiece against all other semifinalists, that posed serious questions about the skill and ability to handle crunch moments.

“We, as a team, weren’t shaken even once eventhough we lost three big matches,” the captain said. “Even after that everyone was together and we were all saying that we still have a great opportunity to reach the final. That positive mindset has brought us here. Our team has such a positive mindset and everyone wants to do good for the country and win the World Cup,

“We definitely were talking about what we wanted to improve, but at the same time, we were all looking at the same goal. It’s a long process [journey], there will be ups and downs. Some teams win, some lose. But at the end of the day, it’s about how we reach the end. We were talking about this journey, what we have to do after this defeat, how have to improve ourselves, and along with that we have to stay together and help each other. That really showed what positive characters are there in the team.”

The team’s mental resilience through tough stretch was thoroughly tested, and has shaped the team’s mindset and approach to this final as well.

“In a home World Cup, there’s always going to be ups and downs emotionally because it’s tough. But, keeping yourself balanced and focused is the key,” the 36-year-old said. “We are having those sessions where we have been talking about how we can be more focused and more balanced and at the same time keeping ourselves relaxed because this is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us: playing in home conditions and that also a final.

“The most important thing is that we have to enjoy this, because there is nothing bigger than this in your life as a cricketer and as a captain. Our focus is to enjoy this moment, and keep taking down the small targets to achieve as a team rather than thinking of the bigger target. When you take care of the small targets along the way,you’ll automatically achieve your ultimate target.”

As a result of achieving the next ultimate target the team has set its sights on, Harmanpreet is hoping to further elevate women’s cricket in India, bringing it into mainstream with “greater seriousness and viewership”.

There aren’t any celebrations pre-planned, for the captain wants the joy to unfold naturally. Like the happy tears and tightest hugs from Thursday night that currently flood the social media.

“I’m a very emotional person – I cry at everything. Maybe yesterday was the first time on television, but my teammates have seen me cry in the dressing room many times – even after wins, not just losses. I am the first person to cry. As a player, these moments are very important. To beat a team like Australia, a giant that has always done well on the world stage, it was not an easy thing to perform [and stay] mentally strong in front of them. But overcoming that hurdle was something very special to all of us. I always tell my team that you don’t need to control your emotions: if you feel like crying, cry.”

Whether the Indian dugout will see more happy tears or unbridled joy, should they cross the final frontier, is something upto the individuals who have “already visualised in our dreams many times”. But Harmanpreet was absolutely sure that there’s “no bigger motivation than a home World Cup final” for her side to produce their best cricket.

“We know pretty well how it feels to lose, but we are really looking forward to the feeling of winning a final now,” she said, confident in her team and in her own leadership. “Hopefully it’s going to be a special day for us tomorrow. We’ve worked really hard, and now it’s about getting everything right together.”

[Cricbuzz]

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Molineux, Dunkley enter WPL 2027 auction with top base price of INR 50 lakh

Published

4 hours ago

2026/10/20

Priyan

Sophie Molineux has previously played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the WPL [BCCI]

A total of 146 players will be competing for 27 available slots in the WPL 2027 mini auction on October 28 in Kochi. Of these, England batter Sophia Dunkley and Australia captain Sophie Molineux are the only two players who have listed themselves at the maximum base price of INR 50 lakh.

The auction pool has 119 Indian players, including 22 capped and 97 uncapped players, with 20 slots available for Indian players. The overseas pool has 27 players – 14 capped and 13 uncapped – including six from Associate teams, with seven slots available.

G Kamalini (released by Mumbai Indians), Kiran Navigre (released by U P Warriorz), Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen have registered at the second-highest base price of INR 40 lakh, while a total of 30 players have registered at INR 30 lakh.

Among the notable absentees are West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, who was released by UPW, and Australia legspinner Alana King, who was released by Delhi Capitals. Lizelle Lee, who was DC’s highest run-scorer last season, has also not listed herself after being released by the franchise.

What the teams look like going into the auction

Only two English players – Dunkley and Kira Chathli (INR 10 lakh) – have registered for the auction, with several others, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Dani Gibson, Lauren Filer and Linsey Smith opting to skip the WPL next year.

Cricinfo has learned that England are likely to play three T20Is in Sri Lanka in early February, which will clash with the final week of the WPL. While the ECB is likely to allow players to stay in India to complete the tournament, most players have instead chosen to prioritise their international commitments ahead of the Champions Trophy later that month.

The relatively low salaries on offer at the WPL are also understood to be a factor in many English players deciding not to register, with most internationals earning significantly more to play in the Hundred (up to £190,000 last year) than the highest permitted base price in the WPL of INR 50 lakh (£40,000 approx).

Molineux was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru [RCB] title-winning squad in 2024, and had bagged 12 wickets in ten games at an economy rate of 7.31. She was retained by RCB for the 2025 season but a knee injury ruled her out of the season. Dunkley, meanwhile, played for Gujarat Giants [GT] in 2023 before opting not to register for the 2024 season. She went unsold in the 2025 auction.

Among the premier internationals who have listed themselves for INR 30 lakh are Australia allrounder Grace Harris (released by RCB), Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, South Africa left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon.

UPW, who released nine players, will go into the auction with the biggest purse of INR 3.75 crore.

[Cricinfo]

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Pakistan quicks seal win after Salman Agha ton sets tone

Published

1 day ago

2026/10/19

Priyan

Salman Agha celebrates reaching his fourth ODI hundred [Cricinfo]

Pakistan withstood a middle-order counterattack from Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage to see off Sri Lanka by 37 runs. In the first match of a tri-series that also includes England, the pair appeared to have put Sri Lanka on course with a 119-run fifth wicket partnership, with the visitors well in front and requiring just 55 from the last seven overs. Liyanage’s wicket, however, saw the bottom fall out of the side, with Sri Lanka losing their last five wickets for 15 runs to allow Pakistan to breathe a sigh of relief.

The win had been set up by Salman Agha, who marked his return to the Pakistan side with his fourth ODI hundred to hold off a collapse and steer the hosts past 300. By the 22nd over, Pakistan had lost four wickets, and looked vulnerable with a relatively long tail. However, Salman’s 90-ball 107 navigated Pakistan expertly out of danger with sizeable partnerships with Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas.

Sri Lanka deprived Shaheen Afridi’s side of a big finish, though, with Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando striking multiple blows in the death overs to ultimately bowl Pakistan out for 305. Those runs they had left on the table looked set to cost them dear at the climax of the context. The dew had set in, and Rathnayake and Liyanage were beginning to reverse Pakistan’s early dominance that had seen them skittle Sri Lanka’s top four with few dents made to the chase.

Afridi rotated his cast of bowlers, but aside from Naseem Shah, there appeared no remedy to the free flow of runs. Haris Rauf, Minhas, Saim Ayub and Afridi himself were all worked over, particularly by Rathnayake, who was especially methodical in the way he timed his innings to dance in tune to the required rate. Afridi was sensationally blown out of the attack with a pair of pulled sixes off the hips, in stark contrast to Pakistan’s own struggles against the short ball.

A pair of tight overs from Faheem Ashraf finally induced Rathnayake into a false stroke as he spooned one to Salman at short cover, only for Dasun Shanaka to pick up the slack. But with 53 runs to go, Liyanage chipped Rauf to long-on, and Pakistan blew the house down. Afridi prised Shanaka out the following over, and though the tail limped on briefly, it was only a matter of time.

Pakistan will look back fondly at their dominance in the first 25 overs, which closely mirrored Sri Lanka’s own success in the first innings. Sri Lanka’s top order was ineffective in keeping pace with the asking rate, and Naseem bowled a tidy spell up front, which included the wicket of Avishka Fernando. Ashraf took a sharp catch after Saad Baig dropped the skier, the allrounder showing good reflexes to scoop the ball up. It was, all told, a difficult evening behind the stumps for the debutant, and, in truth, a poor day out for Pakistan’s fielders throughout the innings.

Sri Lanka’s fortune with the toss had carried over to the ODI series, and they inserted Pakistan in Rawalpindi. There was early swing on offer, but it was the extra pace from Dilshan Madushanka that accounted for both openers. Ayub and Fakhar Zaman were both undone by the short delivery, leaving Babar Azam and Baig to rebuild.

The duo put on 74 and were beginning to get the asking rate ticking upwards. However, Babar’s frustrating recent knack of giving away auspicious starts reared its familiar head once more. Malinga was Sri Lanka’s quickest bowler through the innings, and he landed one short that rushed onto Babar, who was late on the pull just five shy of a half-century. Soon after Baig, who had shown promise as well as a willingness to pull rather than back away from bouncers, miscued one himself, holing out to deep fine leg.

It was precisely the sort of situation Salman – dropped from both the Test side and T20 captaincy in the last two months – thrives in, rebuilding during the middle overs of an ODI. He did so flawlessly, halting Sri Lanka’s momentum while staying on top of the run rate, keeping the strike ticking along, and adeptly covering for Nawaz, who had made a more sluggish start. He capitalised when Sri Lanka erred by turning prematurely to Kamindu Mendis’ spin, taking 11 off the 25th over to turn momentum around.

Sri Lanka began to look more toothless with the ball through those middle overs as Salman’s comfort grew. He dominated the stand and brought up his half-century off 48 balls. Nawaz had begun to loosen his shoulders too, illustrated by a six off legspinner Sachindu Colombage, but Asitha rooted him out the following over, ending the fifth-wicket stand ay 97. Salman played a similar shepherding role with Minhas for the sixth wicket, the pair putting on 64, with Salman once again taking on the lion’s share.

Twenty-six runs came off the 44th and 45th overs, but just as Pakistan looked for a big finish, Sri Lanka’s bowlers hit back. Minhas and Salman fell trying to hit sixes, and Pakistan’s lower order soon followed, with Malinga getting rid of Ashraf and Naseem off successive balls. A pair of lusty blows from Afridi allowed Pakistan to scratch past 300.

For long stretches of Sri Lanka’s chase, it appeared as if Pakistan’s unproductiveness in those death overs would cost them. Instead, on a dewy early autumn night in Rawalpindi, Pakistan’s pace attack – which shared nine wickets between them – ensured Salman’s efforts would not be wasted.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 305 in 49.5 overs (Babar Azam 45, Salman Agha 107; Eshan Malinga 4-46, Asitha Fernando 3-59, Dilshan Madushanka 2-67) beat Sri Lanka 268 in 48.1 overs (Kamindu Mendis 44, Pavan Rathnayake 79, Janith Liyanage 60; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-55, Naseem Shah 2-43, Haris Rauf 2-48, Faheem Ashraf 2-49) by 37 runs

[Cricinfo]

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Half a million people join protests in France, but some turn violent

Published

2 days ago

2026/10/18

Priyan

An estimated 550,000 people took part in demonstrations across France today to protest against teaching conditions in schools, rising fuel prices and the cost of living.

Marches were largely peaceful and took place in several major French cities, including Paris, where 110,000 people attended.

“We just want to study, we just want a future” one student taking part in the protest in the capital told BBC News, while another said they were ” just trying to make things change”.

But French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said some groups “at the margins of these protests” caused the situation to “degenerate”.

According to the French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, 1200 people were arrested. Officials also reported looting in cities such as Marseille, where masked 8ntruders also entered the city hall. In Lyon, the tourist office was set on fire and shops were damaged.

French President Emmanuel Macron said any vandals and looters would be “prosecuted and punished”, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of left-wing party La France Insoumise, said demonstrations had been calmly mobilised.

Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing to battle a blaze at Limoges City Hall after a reported break-in and arson inside the 19th-century building during protests there.

(BBC)