NEW DELHI: Senior Sikh leader and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday condemned the disruption of a peaceful Sikh Nagar Kirtan procession in South Auckland, New Zealand, expressing concern over the threat posed to religious freedom and communal harmony.Sharing a video of the incident on X, Badal said, “Nagar Kirtan is a sacred Sikh tradition—a joyous religious parade involving the singing of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, promoting devotion, unity, and sharing of blessings with all humanity. I am glad to note that the Sikh community responded with remarkable restraint and peace despite provocation—true to Guru Sahib’s teachings of ‘Chardi kala’ and ‘Sarbat Da Bhala’.”

“Such intimidation threatens religious freedom and the spirit of universal brotherhood,” he added.Badal further urged external affairs minister S Jaishankar to intervene and raise the matter with the New Zealand government to “protect the rights of the Indian diaspora.”On Saturday, a Sikh religious procession in New Zealand was disrupted by a group of ‘Patriot’ protesters. According to reports by the NZ Herald, the group was linked to political leader Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church, a Christian fundamentalist religious organisation. In a video shared on Tamaki’s social media, members of a group calling themselves the True Patriots of NZ were seen confronting the Sikh procession as it moved along the street. The group described themselves as “Guardians of the Kiwi Way of Life. Defenders of Faith, Flag & Family,” and said they oppose “globalism, mass immigration, and woke ideology.”Also read | Christian group performing haka confronts Sikh parade in Auckland — videoThe protesters displayed a large banner reading, “This is New Zealand not India.” While being kept apart from the Sikh group by police, they linked arms, performed a haka, and chanted “One true God,” “Jesus,” and “God of nation.”Inspector Matt Hoyes said around 50 protesters blocked the road in an attempt to disrupt the parade. He stated, “Police acted swiftly to ensure the parade was able to safely continue and additional officers were called in to escort the parade participants through the remainder of their route.”

Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. kicked off the Sri Lanka Women tour of India 2025 in spectacular fashion, securing a comfortable eight-wicket victory at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Disciplined Indian bowling restricts Sri Lanka to 121

India’s decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends. Kranti Gaud provided the early breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Sri Lankan captain, Chamari Athapaththu, for 15. While Vishmi Gunaratne played a gritty knock of 39 off 43 balls, she struggled to find consistent support at the other end.

The Indian spinners applied the brakes effectively during the middle overs. Deepti Sharma was the standout performer, conceding just 20 runs in her four overs and claiming the wicket of Hasini Perera. Debutant Vaishnavi Sharma also played a vital role, maintaining an economy rate of just 4.00. Sri Lanka’s innings was further derailed by three crucial run-outs, involving sharp work from Richa Ghosh behind the stumps. Despite late efforts from Harshitha Madavi (21), Sri Lanka could only manage 121/6 in their 20 overs.

Jemimah Rodrigues powers India’s rapid chase

India’s pursuit of 122 started with an explosive burst from Shafali Verma, who hammered 9 runs off 5 balls before falling to Kawya Kavindi. However, the early wicket did little to slow India’s momentum. Smriti Mandhana (25) and Jemimah Rodrigues combined for a 54-run partnership that effectively took the game away from the visitors.

Rodrigues was in sublime form, striking the ball with precision and intent. She finished unbeaten on 69 from just 44 deliveries, a knock featuring ten boundaries at a strike rate of 156.82. Her aggressive approach ensured that India stayed well ahead of the required run rate throughout the powerplay and beyond.

Also READ: Shafali Verma reveals Team India’s next big goal after their World Cup triumph

Clinical finish by Rodrigues Harmanpreet Kaur 

After Mandhana was dismissed by the veteran Inoka Ranaweera in the ninth over, captain Harmanpreet Kaur joined Rodrigues to navigate the final stretch. Kaur played a steady supporting role, scoring 15 off 16 balls, while Rodrigues continued to find the boundary with ease.

The duo shared an unbeaten 55-run stand, guiding India to 122/2 in just 14.4 overs. The comprehensive nature of the win highlights India’s depth and tactical superiority, particularly in the bowling and fielding departments which accounted for half of the Sri Lankan wickets via run-outs.

Jemimah Rodrigues shines in India’s victory over Sri Lanka 🏏#cricket #INDWvSLW #1stT20I pic.twitter.com/tbN2zVGZM3

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) December 22, 2025

With a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, Team India head into the next fixture with significant momentum. For Sri Lanka, the focus will be on improving their strike rotation and finding ways to counter India’s disciplined spin attack. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday as Sri Lanka looks to bounce back and level the series in what promises to be an exciting tour.

Also READ: IND-W vs SL-W 2025, T20I series – Broadcast, Live Streaming details | When and where to watch in India, USA, Canada and Sri Lanka

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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Rohit Sharma (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: In a stunning and deeply personal revelation, former India captain Rohit Sharma has admitted that he contemplated walking away from cricket altogether after India’s crushing loss to Australia in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking at a Masters’ Union event on Sunday, Rohit laid bare the emotional toll of the defeat, describing a period when the sport he loved felt like it had “taken everything” out of him.“After the 2023 World Cup final, I was completely distraught and felt like I didn’t want to play this sport anymore because it had taken everything out of me and I felt I had nothing left,” Rohit said.

India, under Rohit’s leadership, had enjoyed a near-perfect campaign at home, storming into the final with ten straight wins. But in the match that mattered most, Australia executed their plans to perfection. After India were restricted to 240, Travis Head’s match-winning century guided the Pat Cummins-led side to a six-wicket victory, leaving a stunned Narendra Modi Stadium in silence.Rohit said the pain was amplified by the sheer emotional investment he had made since taking over the captaincy in 2022. “Everybody was extremely disappointed, and we just couldn’t believe what had happened. It was a very tough time for me personally because I had put everything into that World Cup — not just two or three months before it, but ever since I became captain.”

The 38-year-old admitted it took months to recover mentally. “There was no energy left in my body. It took me a couple of months to recover and bring myself back,” he said, adding that self-reflection and a reminder of his love for the game helped him find his way back.That resilience would soon define the next chapter. Less than a year after the Ahmedabad heartbreak, Rohit led India to the T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies, a triumph he described as a lesson in resetting after disappointment.“I knew life doesn’t end there. It was a big lesson — how to deal with disappointment, reset, and start fresh,” Rohit said. “It’s very easy to say this now, but at that moment, it was extremely difficult.”Though he has since retired from Tests and T20Is and no longer captains the ODI side, Rohit continues in the 50-over format, with one final dream still driving him — a last shot at World Cup glory in 2027.

Pakistan cricket team (ANI Photo)

Senior Pakistan selector and National Cricket Academy head Aaqib Javed has made a candid revelation, admitting that he has closely followed India’s recent success in white-ball cricket in an effort to rebuild and strengthen Pakistan’s own cricketing structure.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast, the former fast bowler said India’s sustained dominance across tournaments offered clear lessons for any cricketing nation serious about long-term success. “I have looked at India’s success and have tried to execute plans for the betterment of Pakistan cricket,” Aaqib said. “Any cricket nation’s success is based on the quality of its talent.”

India have enjoyed a golden run in recent years, winning the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last year, the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year, and the Asia Cup in September — a tournament where they defeated Pakistan in the final. Aaqib believes such consistency stems from systems rather than individuals.“I think we fell away in doing the basic things correctly in our cricket system,” Aaqib admitted. “No matter who you appoint as captain, coach or selector, unless you have quality talent, nothing changes.”He stressed that talent development depends on strong infrastructure and competition. “Quality of talent can be assured by increasing bench strength and competition, and this is only possible with proper infrastructure and system,” he said.

Despite past shortcomings, Aaqib expressed optimism about the current direction of Pakistan cricket. Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup early next year in India and Sri Lanka, he said the timing could not be better. “Indications are all there. We have good players, they have combined well and importantly there is a choice of players now.”He added that playing all their matches in Sri Lanka would work in Pakistan’s favour. “If the World Cup had been in Australia or South Africa, I would have thought differently. But this is the best time for the team to do well.”Aaqib also highlighted the growing depth in domestic cricket and the Pakistan Shaheens setup, claiming “three to four players are ready” for international cricket. However, he emphasised that modern talent goes beyond skill alone. “Nowadays, talent is also about mental strength because players are constantly under scrutiny.”Addressing criticism, Aaqib was blunt. “The criticism is an aftershock; it only comes after a poor performance. Why should I mind it?” he said. “The only way you can avoid being criticised is to do well.”

Asian stocks began the week on a positive note, following Wall Street’s gains on Monday, as tech stocks drove investor’s sentiments and currency markets grappled with volitality, with Japan’s yen sliding to record lows.In Japan, Nikkei added 973 points or 1.97% to reach 50,480 at 8:40 AM IST. South Korea’s Kospi also inched 1.88% to trade at 4,096. Hang Seng Index edged higher, adding 0.11% to 25,966. Shanghai and Shenzhen also traded in green, adding 0.63% and 1.27%, respectively. Trading volumes remained low in a holiday-shortened week across much of the world, however, markets edged higher ahead of delayed US economic data, in anticipation of strong numbers for the third quarter. Median forecasts pointed to annualised growth of 3.2%, helped by a sharp fall in imports after a surge earlier in the year ahead of tariff introductions.Japan’s Nikkei traded in green as sharply weaker yen was seen boosting export earnings for Japanese companies. The currency continued to slide even after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to a 30-year high of 0.75%, a move that intensified selling pressure in government bonds. Minutes from the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting are due on Wednesday, while the central bank’s governor is scheduled to address a Japanese business lobby on Christmas, Reuters reported. The yen touched a new record low against the euro at 184.90 and weakened to 198.08 against the Swiss franc. The dollar rose to 157.67 yen, though traders remained cautious about pushing beyond the November peak of 157.90 amid fears that such a move could trigger intervention from Tokyo.South Korea’s market surged 1.8% on optimism surrounding AI-related earnings. In commodities, silver continued its strong run, hitting a fresh record high of $67.48 per ounce and lifting year-to-date gains to nearly 134%. Gold rose 0.6% to $4,362 an ounce, Reuters reported. Oil prices also moved higher after the United States intercepted a Venezuelan oil tanker over the weekend and pursued another, marking the third such operation in less than two weeks. Brent crude rose 0.7% to $60.88 a barrel, while U.S. crude gained 0.7% to $56.89 per barrel.