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Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Sri Lanka secured their place in the T20 tri-series final with a six-run victory over Pakistan, thanks to Dushmantha Chameera’s impressive bowling figures of 4-20.Pakistan, despite already qualifying for Saturday’s final with three consecutive wins, fell short at 178-7, with captain Salman Ali Agha scoring an unbeaten 63.Sri Lanka posted 184-5, led by opener Kamil Mishra’s crucial 76 off 48 balls in a must-win game to edge out Zimbabwe for a final spot.

“Proud of how the boys bounced back,” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said. “Everybody contributed. … Of course Chameera (exhibited) world-class bowling.”Chameera dominated the power play with figures of 3-3 and sealed the victory in the final over, conceding just three runs when Pakistan needed 10.He dismissed Sahibzada Farhan for 9 with a slower ball and removed Babar Azam for a duck. Saim Ayub scored 27 before being bowled by Eshan Malinga, while Fakhar Zaman fell to Chameera.Agha and Usman Khan built a 56-run partnership before Khan was caught for 33. Agha then paired with Mohammad Nawaz for a quick 70-run stand off 36 balls.Malinga dismissed Nawaz for 27 in the penultimate over, and Chameera’s precise bowling in the final over secured the win.Sri Lanka’s innings began with a strong opening partnership between Mishara and Kusal Mendis after choosing to bat first. Salman Mirza removed Pathum Nissanka for 8 in the third over.Mendis scored 40 with six boundaries and a six before falling to Abrar Ahmed’s quick delivery. Mishara maintained momentum until he was caught at deep mid-wicket in the 17th over.Janith Liyanage and Shanaka remained unbeaten with 24 and 17 runs respectively, scoring 24 runs in the final two overs.“I think it was gettable with the dew coming in but we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and gave away too many runs in the powerplay,” Agha said. “If you give too many runs in the powerplay, you’ll always be chasing the game. I would have been happier if I had finished the game but it was good to spend some time out in the middle.”

National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi

SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi accused Thursday his own party’s govt in J&K of “failing to fulfil electoral promises and following BJP’s approach of mere political slogans”.Mehdi, critical of the leadership for nearly a year, launched the latest attack from chief minister Omar Abdullah’s assembly constituency Ganderbal as the NC began a two-day working committee meeting under president Farooq Abdullah and the CM, who is also party vice-president.“We sought votes for restoration of constitutional guarantees under Article 370, and it was one of the main reasons we received a huge mandate in the (Oct 2024 assembly) polls. We promised to strive for the release of political prisoners. We must fulfil all commitments. We can’t adopt BJP’s language after coming to office,” the Srinagar MP told supporters in Ganderbal.According to Mehdi, NC’s election campaign last year was centered on Article 370 but it has focused on seeking statehood (restoration) since taking office. “If we shift from Article 370 to statehood, we are aligning with BJP’s line,” the MP argued.Mehdi claimed ignorance about NC’s meeting. “I am a permanent member of the working committee. This is the first time since 2002 that I have not been invited,” the MP said.Mehdi suggested that his disagreements with the party stemmed from his insistence that it must work on the issues over which votes were sought. “A year has passed. We have not worked on our political and governance agenda. We have not rationalised reservations in J&K. We cannot tell open-merit candidates who are crossing the age bar that we still have five years to act,” Mehdi said, adding the govt had not also kept its promise of 200 units of free electricity.Insisting that he was not protesting against his party but reminding it of its promises and manifesto, Mehdi pointed out that J&K’s people had reposed trust in mainstream political parties after a long time last year, handing NC a big mandate that must be honoured.Mehdi brushed away at statements by deputy CM Surinder Choudhary asking the MP to raise issues in Parliament instead of trying to stay in the limelight. “He (Choudhary) was earlier with BJP, then he joined PDP, and now he is in NC. In his politics there is no principle, no direction, no value,” Mehdi said.The MP also criticised the Omar-led govt over a demolition drive in the Valley against settlers, saying people had voted for NC so that “what is happening in Uttar Pradesh does not happen in Kashmir”.

Mumbai: India’s biggest engineering entrance exam just broke its own record. JEE Main Session-1 has logged close to 14.5 lakh registrations as of 7 pm on Thursday, the highest ever, crossing last year’s peak of 13.11 lakh. And the rush didn’t slow down — students kept signing up right until 9pm on November 27, the deadline.“The applicant pool has more than doubled in six years,” said Amit Ahuja, career counsellor at Allen Career Institute. The numbers tell the story: 2021 saw 6.52 lakh students register. In 2024, it jumped to 12.21 lakh. Now, 2026 may go even further, with Ahuja predicting that additional applicants in April could push unique candidate numbers beyond 16 lakh—a surge that will stiffen competition for NITs and IIITs.For students who made mistakes in their forms, a two-day correction window will be open by the National Testing Agency from December 1 to 2. “It’s the first and last chance to fix errors,” Ahuja said.Because technology is rewriting the job market, tech graduates today walk into bigger and better opportunities than general degree holders, said experts. Engineering institutes are also expanding capacity every year, easing the race for top seats in the best colleges. India currently offers around 58,000 seats across IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs, up from 49,767 in 2021, apart from a massive private college network feeding the same ambition.Government initiatives to skill the youth are pulling even small-town and village students into the engineering pipeline, said experts. A senior faculty member added, “Skill-based employment drives and training projects are telling young India a simple truth: ‘Get technical, get hired’.”

NEW DELHI: India’s Women’s World Cup hero Jemimah Rodrigues has withdrawn from the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season, choosing to stay back home to support close friend and teammate Smriti Mandhana after her wedding was postponed due to a sudden health issue concerning Mandhana’s father. Jemimah, who had flown to India 10 days ago after Brisbane Heat’s match against Hobart Hurricanes for what was supposed to be a brief pre-arranged trip, was scheduled to rejoin her WBBL side this week. But with the unforeseen development, she requested a release — one the franchise agreed to without hesitation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“The Brisbane Heat have agreed to a request to release Jemimah Rodrigues from the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League,” the club announced in a statement. It confirmed that Rodrigues “returned home to India” for Mandhana’s wedding but stayed back after the celebrations were “subsequently postponed due to a health issue with Mandhana’s father.”

The Heat said they fully supported Jemimah’s decision: “Rodrigues will stay in India to support her teammate, and the Heat has agreed to her not returning for the final four games of the WBBL season.”Jemimah, who was Brisbane Heat’s No.1 pick in the International Player Draft this year, had been in strong form and remains a key figure in India’s cricketing rise. She was instrumental in India clinching their maiden Women’s World Cup title, smashing an unbeaten century in the semifinal against seven-time champions Australia — a knock that has already entered Indian cricket folklore.Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson called it “a challenging time” for the 24-year-old. “While it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL, we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India,” he said. “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best. Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the fans for being so understanding.”With Rodrigues staying back, the Heat will now play their final league games without one of their biggest international stars — but with full empathy for her decision.

India‘s proud home record in Test cricket has suffered a devastating blow with a 0-2 whitewash against South Africa in 2025, their third clean sweep on home soil and the first since New Zealand‘s 3-0 triumph in 2024. This marks South Africa’s second series victory in India, echoing their 2000 dominance after 25 years, as they crushed India by 408 runs in Guwahati—the hosts’ largest Test defeat by runs. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, back-to-back home series losses against SENA countries have shattered the invincibility built over a decade, dropping India to fifth in the World Test Championship standings. Fans and analysts now question the end of India’s fortress-era, with five home Test defeats in seven matches—the most since 1959.

Three occasions when India were whitewashed in home Test series

1. South Africa’s pioneering sweep in 2000

The first home whitewash came during the 1999-2000 South Africa tour, a two- match Test series where Hansie Cronje‘s Proteas triumphed 2-0, ending a 13-year drought for visiting teams in India. In Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, South Africa chased 236 to win by four wickets after India folded for 225 and 113, with Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald dismantling the batting. The Bengaluru decider saw India crumble to an innings defeat, bowled out for 250 chasing 400, as Nicky Boje claimed a five-wicket haul and 85 runs for Player of the Series honours alongside Jacques Kallis. This series, later tainted by match-fixing scandals involving Cronje, exposed India’s vulnerabilities against pace and spin.​

Also READ: Top 5 biggest defeats of Team India in Test cricket

2. New Zealand’s shocking 3-0 Triumph in 2024

Fast-forward to October-November 2024, New Zealand inflicted India’s first-ever 0-3 home whitewash in a three-Test series, the Black Caps’ maiden series victory on Indian pitches and India‘s initial multi-Test home clean sweep in 24 years. Spinners Ajaz Patel (11 wickets in the finale) and Glenn Phillips dominated, defending 146 in Mumbai despite Rishabh Pant‘s counter-attacking 64, while India managed just 29 for 5 early. Earlier losses in Bengaluru (including a 46 all out) and Pune highlighted batting collapses against pace and turn, with Rohit Sharma‘s side losing 37 wickets to spinners—the most at home in such a series. This rare feat made New Zealand only the fourth side to whitewash India in a 3+ Test rubber.​

3. Proteas repeat history with 2025 dominance

South Africa reclaimed glory in November 2025, securing a 2-0 sweep—their first in India since 2000—via a 30-run first-Test win in Kolkata and a colossal 408-run thrashing in Guwahati, India’s largest home defeat by runs. Chasing 549, India collapsed to 140 all out on Day 5, as Simon Harmer and Marco Jansen overwhelmed the lineup, with no Indian innings reaching 250. Stand-in captain Pant’s side failed to score a century across both Tests, a drought unseen since 1969, amplifying scrutiny on Gambhir’s aggressive blueprint amid back-to-back whitewashes. These setbacks dent India’s World Test Championship hopes, signalling a turbulent transition.

Also READ: R Ashwin, Sourav Ganguly, Michael Vaughan and others react to India’s Test series whitewash against South Africa

NEW DELHI: Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma dominated the headlines at the 2026 WPL mega auction, emerging as the most expensive signing of the day. UP Warriorz used their Right to Match (RTM) card to retain her for Rs 3.20 crore, making her the second-highest-paid Indian in WPL history, just behind Smriti Mandhana.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Other World Cup performers also cashed in. Shree Charani and Laura Wolvaardt secured significant deals following their impressive international seasons.Mumbai Indians made a major move by signing New Zealand star Amelia Kerr for Rs 3 crore, reinforcing their core after her successful stints in their 2023 and 2025 title-winning campaigns.UP Warriorz surprised many by spending Rs 2.40 crore on veteran India seamer Shikha Pandey, who hasn’t featured for India since 2023.

Delhi Capitals were active and aggressive, securing Charani for Rs 1.30 crore, after a tense battle with Warriorz, and adding South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt (Rs 1.10 crore), Chinelle Henry (Rs 1.30 crore) and Sneh Rana (Rs 50 lakh).With the largest purse—Rs 14.5 crore—UP Warriorz remained one of the most influential teams in the room. They used RTM cards to bring back Kranti Gaud (Rs 50 lakh) and world No. 1 spinner Sophie Ecclestone (Rs 85 lakh).The franchise further strengthened its lineup by signing Asha Shobhana (Rs 1.10 crore) and Harleen Deol (Rs 50 lakh), while also adding young Australian talent Phoebe Litchfield (Rs 1.20 crore) and India batter Pratika Rawal (Rs 50 lakh).Among other major moves, Gujarat Giants secured Renuka Singh (Rs 60 lakh), and Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked up Nadine de Klerk (Rs 65 lakh) along with India all-rounders Arundhati Reddy (Rs 75 lakh) and Radha Yadav (Rs 65 lakh).Meanwhile, marquee names Meg Lanning and Sophie Devine were also snapped up, with Giants securing Devine for Rs 2 crore, while Lanning moved to UP Warriorz for Rs 1.90 crore after an intense bidding contest with Delhi Capitals.The biggest surprise of the day came early, as Australian captain Alyssa Healy went unsold after being the first name called. Fellow Australian Alana King also remained without a bidder, even in the accelerated round.By the end of the auction, 67 players were bought across 77 available squad slots.

DELHI CAPITALS

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU

GUJARAT GIANTS

UP WARRIORZ

Manipur is hosting the 12th edition of the Sangai Festival from November 21 to 30, 2025, marking a major cultural moment for the state as it prepares to welcome travellers, artisans and performers to one of India’s most immersive celebrations of heritage and identity.First held in 2010, the Sangai Festival has grown into Manipur’s flagship cultural showcase — a ten-day event described as a “Canvas of Culture”, where the state’s rich tapestry of ethnic communities, crafts and performing arts come alive. Officials and local stakeholders say the upcoming edition carries renewed energy, purpose and anticipation, with communities eager to share stories of resilience and revival.

Celebration of culture, community and storytelling

The festival takes its name from the endangered Sangai deer, Manipur’s state animal, and symbolises the deep connection between communities and the land they inhabit. Each edition is envisioned as an immersive experience that blends culture, identity and warmth, offering visitors a chance to step into a “living canvas” of traditions nurtured over generations.The 2025 edition continues this ethos, showcasing classical and folk dances, martial art demonstrations, musical performances, and storytelling sessions that reflect Manipur’s artistic soul.

Artistry and craftsmanship at the centre

Handwoven textiles, bamboo crafts, pottery and indigenous jewellery remain some of the festival’s biggest attractions. These creations, shaped by local artisans using natural materials, mirror Manipur’s geography, cultural motifs and the close bond between the people and their environment.Visitors often enjoy intimate conversations with artisans who recount the personal histories embedded in their creations. This exchange, organisers say, is a defining feature of the festival and helps deepen connections between visitors and Manipuri culture.

Music that bridges generations

Music continues to be one of the festival’s emotional anchors. Traditional instruments blend seamlessly with contemporary rhythms as young musicians reinterpret age-old forms. This fusion — increasingly popular among younger audiences — reflects a cultural continuity where heritage evolves in step with changing times.

A feast of flavours

Manipuri cuisine is another highlight of the Sangai Festival. Dishes prepared with fresh, local ingredients introduce visitors to the state’s culinary identity, known for its distinct flavours, herbal richness and wholesome preparations. Food stalls often become informal spaces of cultural exchange, where conversations spark connections among visitors and locals.

A ‘special edition’ with renewed purpose

Festival organisers describe the 12th edition as a “special edition” — one marked by renewal and resilience. After a period of challenges and uncertainty, communities are coming together with a revived sense of purpose, eager to showcase both traditional legacies and emerging contemporary talent.Artisans, dancers, musicians and storytellers are preparing to present their work with greater vibrancy, seeing the 2025 edition as a moment for the world to rediscover Manipur’s cultural harmony.

A festival that leaves a mark

Over the years, the Manipur Sangai Festival has earned a reputation for its authenticity, emotional warmth and immersive experiences, often leaving visitors with lasting memories and a deeper appreciation for the state’s cultural heritage.As preparations begin for the November 2025 edition, officials expect strong turnout and renewed national interest. For many travellers, the festival has become more than an event — it is an invitation to witness Manipur’s creative spirit, shared history and the unique bond between culture and community.With ten days of performances, crafts, cuisine and heartfelt storytelling, the Sangai Festival continues to stand out as one of India’s most soulful cultural gatherings, promising to touch hearts and inspire journeys yet again.