In the 8th match of the Champions Trophy, Afghanistan post a formidable total of 325/7 with the help of Ibrahim Zadran's century. However, this loss has put Afghanistan's chances of advancing to the next round in jeopardy. England, on the other hand, are coming off a humiliating loss to Australia and will need to play a proper ODI match instead of their usual T20 approach if they want to chase down this target successfully.
Vidarbha is on the verge of winning their third Ranji Trophy title after a dominant performance on Day 4 of the final against Kerala. Karun Nair's unbeaten century and a strong partnership with Danish Malewar have put Vidarbha in a commanding position with a lead of 226 runs. Kerala will have to put up an exceptional performance on the final day to deny Vidarbha the title.
England opener Phil Salt made a costly error in the first over of their ICC Champions Trophy match against South Africa, handing an "easy catch" straight to Rassie van der Dussen. As England struggled to gain momentum, South Africa gained an early advantage and the match proved to be a cut-throat competition. Despite a valiant effort from England, they ultimately fell short to the tactical prowess of South Africa.
Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr. honored former Brazilian forward Pelé as the "only king" of the game, snubbing football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The 33-year-old cited Pelé's impact and legacy as the reason for choosing him as the GOAT, stating that despite his own injuries and setbacks in his career, he is grateful for the success and opportunities he has had. After rejoining the Brazilian club Santos, Neymar has continued to impress with two goals and three assists in six matches.
Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton, two former England cricket captains, expressed their disappointment with Jos Buttler's captaincy after the team's unexpected elimination from the Champions Trophy. In a post-match interview, Buttler acknowledged that he will reflect on his position after returning home. However, Hussain and Atherton believe it is time for a change in leadership, citing three consecutive disappointing performances in major ICC events and a lack of assertiveness on the field reminiscent of former captain Eoin Morgan.
Rashid Latif, a former Pakistan cricketer, believes that Afghanistan's Rashid Khan is a greater cricketer than his own country's Wasim Akram, who is often considered one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Latif's assessment comes from the fact that Rashid has played a significant role in putting Afghanistan on the global cricket map, something that Wasim did not have to do for his country. However, Rashid has not had the same impact in Tests as he has had in T20 cricket, largely due to Afghanistan's weak representation in the longest format. As they prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19, Rashid and his team will be hoping to create a bigger impact.
In a thrilling match, UP Warriorz defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who were the defending champions, by 11 runs in the Women's Premier League (WPL). Despite suffering a top-order collapse, the Warriorz were able to turn things around thanks to some big hitting from Chinelle Henry and Grace Harris. RCB, on the other hand, struggled with their balance and desperately missed the contributions of injured all-rounder Ellyse Perry.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has advised England's Harry Brook to watch out for Varun Chakravarthy's googlies, even in bad light. Ashwin pointed out that Brook had failed to read the googlies in the previous two T20 matches due to this oversight. This comes after Brook had made a "smog" excuse for his dismissal in the first T20I against Chakravarthy. Ashwin's valuable tip could prove useful for Brook in the remainder of the series.
In a clash between Afghanistan and England in the ICC Champions Trophy, Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran made history with his impressive score of 177 runs, helping his team reach a massive total of 325 for 7. Zadran also shared crucial partnerships with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Mohammad Nabi. Despite a strong effort from England's Jofra Archer, Afghanistan's dominant performance proved too much for the opposition. With this win, Afghanistan solidifies their spot in the tournament as a formidable team to watch out for.
As the ICC Champions Trophy progresses, India's decision to play all their matches in Dubai, while the rest of the teams have to travel to different venues, has been a topic of discussion. Jos Buttler, England captain, gave a subtle response when asked about the "advantage" India has. Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, two former cricketers and experts, have also weighed in their opinions, stating that India's schedule has given them an "undeniable advantage" over other teams.
Indian Premier League franchises that acquired stakes in The Hundred teams announced new signings for the upcoming edition of the tournament. Notable signings include Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson and Sunrisers Hyderabad's Rashid Khan joining Mumbai Indians' Oval Invincibles and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson joining London Spirit. Additionally, international stars such as Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, and Amelia Kerr have also been signed by various teams owned by IPL franchises.