The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2025 season heats up as Hobart Hurricanes Women (HH-W) prepare to take on Melbourne Stars Women (MS-W) in Match 32 at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Monday, December 1. This fixture features the current table-toppers squaring off against the second-placed contenders, making it a crucial battle in the race for playoff qualification.

The Hurricanes enter the contest with strong momentum, having secured six wins from their first eight matches. They have particularly excelled on home soil, claiming four victories in five outings in Hobart. Their recent performances have highlighted a powerful batting lineup where Lizelle Lee and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge continue to dominate opposition attacks and consistently rank among the top run-getters of the competition. Skipper Nicola Carey adds further value with her reliable all-round skills, while Heather Graham’s wicket-taking brilliance has made her one of the most dangerous bowlers this season.

On the other side, Melbourne Stars remain firm challengers, winning five of their first seven games. They come into this match riding a confident four-match winning streak, showcasing excellent form at a crucial stage of the tournament. Meg Lanning has led their charge with the bat, amassing 301 runs in just five innings to sit comfortably as the leading run-scorer of WBBL|11. Their squad also benefits greatly from the presence of Annabel Sutherland, whose leadership and all-round ability bring balance, while Marizanne Kapp continues to provide match-winning performances with bat and ball.

HH-W vs MS-W, WBBL|11: Match details

• Date and Time: December 1; 01:40 pm IST/ 08:10 am GMT/ 07:10 pm Local
• Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart

HH-W vs MS-W, Head-to-Head Record in WBBL

Matches played: 22 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 13 | Melbourne Stars won: 08 | No result: 01

Bellerive Oval Pitch Report

The Bellerive Oval pitch typically offers a solid batting track, beginning with some help for seamers thanks to the new ball before settling into a more batter-friendly surface as the match unfolds. Pacers can extract early movement, though spinners generally play a smaller role, with the wicket eventually slowing into a balanced, predictable strip that gradually tilts in favour of the batters.

Squads

Melbourne Stars Women: Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Amy Jones (wk), Annabel Sutherland (c), Marizanne Kapp, Kim Garth, Sasha Moloney, Georgia Prestwidge, Maisy Gibson, Sophie Day, Ella Hayward, Sophie Reid

Hobart Hurricanes Women: Lizelle Lee (wk), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Elyse Villani (c), Heather Graham, Rachel Trenaman, Hayley Silver-holmes, Molly Strano, Lauren Smith, Linsey Smith, Ruth Johnston, Callie Wilson, Kathryn Bryce

Also READ: WBBL|11 – Adelaide Strikers edge past Brisbane Heat in final-over Thriller; Ellyse Perry helps Sydney Sixers dominate Thunder in the derby clash

HH-W vs MS-W, WBBL|11: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Hobart Hurricanes Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Stars Women’s powerplay score: 40-50
• Melbourne Stars Women’s total score: 160-170

Case 2:

• Melbourne Stars Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Hobart Hurricanes Women’s powerplay score: 30-50
• Hobart Hurricanes Women’s total score: 150-160

Match result: Hobart Hurricanes Women to win the game.

Also READ: Lauren Bell reacts after becoming the most expensive buy for RCB in WPL 2026 Auction

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

MUMBAI: The political journey of S Ward, which covers Bhandup, Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli, reflects a dramatic left-toright swing over the past four decades. Once a bastion of Communist influence in the late 1970s, the constituency gradually moved towards the Congress in the 1980s before decisively tilting to the right with the rise of Shiv Sena in the post-1990 era. Today, shaped by its predominantly Marathispeaking electorate and Sena’s deep grassroots network, the ward stands as a saffron stronghold. Yet this ideological consolidation has brought little relief on the ground. The identity-driven, Marathi-majority base may have ensured stable electoral gains for Sena, but chronic civic and environmental distress continues to define daily life: uneven and perpetually dug-up roads, decade-long delays in infrastructure such as the Bhandup ROB, worsening air pollution amid rapid construction, untreated garbage and mangrove loss near the Kanjur dumping ground, and routine monsoon flooding caused by choked drains. Water scarcity, inadequate health facilities, and stalled redevelopment underscore the widening governance gap. As a result, the ward’s political transformation has delivered predictability at the polls but not improvements in lived experience -fuelling rising frustration and asurge in activism.

In the 2017 municipal polls, the undivided Sena won eight of the ward’s 14 seats. In the 2024 general election, Sanjay Dina Patil of Sena (UBT) was elected MP, while sitting MLA Sunil Raut — brother of Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut — completed a hat-trick by winning the Vikhroli assembly seat. The Bhandup assembly seat was retained by Sena’s Ashok Patil, a loyalist of deputy CM Eknath Shinde.Even as political parties vie for influence, residents and activists say the ward is grappling with deepening civic and environmental issues. Snehal Basrur, a member of KanjurBhandup Clean ALM, flagged concerns over indiscriminate tree-cutting along LBS Marg, where at least 60 roadside trees were removed for Metro construction. Officials have promised compensatory plantation elsewhere, but Basrur argued that roadside greening is essential on the heavy-traffic artery and that existing trees were not handled with care. She has repeatedly sought improvements in air quality over the past three years, citing dust from continuous construction, rising respiratory ailments and AQI levels touching 250. She demanded action against those responsible for dust and pollution. A civic activist described many pavements as “the worst”, pointing to broken surfaces, protruding manhole covers and uneven stretches that put pedestrians at risk. Local resident and ALM core member Shirish Daudkhane said, “We have petitioned BMC for an urgent review and acceleration of the Bhandup ROB project, pending for a decade. It is essential that infrastructure projects account for projected traffic growth up to 2035-2050. Unfortunately, the present design does not reflect this.” He said that over a lakh PAPs were proposed to be resettled on the Bhandup-Kanjurmarg (East) saltpan lands, which wouldadd to east-west traffic.Environmentalist D Stalin raised alarms about rapid encroachment on saltpan land. “The dumping ground at Kanjurmarg (East) is not treated properly, and garbage is left to rot in the open. This gives rise to odour, which is a major issue and affects the health of those living in the neighbourhood and even at far-off places like Bhandup and Vikhroli (Kannamwar Nagar) who suffer from the stench. Garbage is also dumped on mangroves,which are being destroyed,” he said.Daudkhane said, “Traffic congestion is a regular issue. The road is not of uniform width in this constituency, and roads are dug at many places. LBS Marg is a bad stretch with uneven roads and causes traffic jams daily. A few societies have planned not to pay taxes for a year and get the roads repaired on their own.” Another local activist said stormwater drains and original drain lines lack adequate slopes, leadingto flooding in Bhandup village every monsoon due to choked drains. According to legislator Ashok Patil, Sena had promised in its last assembly manifesto to address concerns such as water scarcity — particularly in the hilly parts of Bhandup — inadequate health facilities and the need for urgent SRA redevelopment for slum pockets. Locals say MP Sanjay Patil has assured voters that if Sena (UBT) comes to power in the BMC, it will protect their interests.

AI-generated image (ChatGPT)

Nepal has awarded a contract to a Chinese state-owned security printing firm to produce new banknotes across multiple denominations, a central bank official confirmed on Sunday.Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has selected China Bank Note Printing and Minting Corporation to design, print and supply notes of NRs 50, NRs 500 and NRs 1,000, spokesperson Guru Prasad Paudel told PTI. Under the newly awarded contract, the company must deliver the notes within nine months.Paudel said the NRB provides the technical specifications, after which the Chinese firm prepares a design that must be approved by the central bank before printing begins.Earlier this month, the same Chinese company also received a Letter of Intent to design and print 430 million pieces of the NRs 1,000 denomination.The upcoming NRs 1,000 note will feature seven rhododendrons, Nepal’s national flower, representing the country’s seven provinces. It will also carry the signature of the current governor, Prof Dr Biswo Nath Poudel, appearing for the first time in this banknote series.China Bank Note Printing and Minting Corporation was selected on the basis of the lowest evaluated bid and has previously printed Nepalese notes of Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 100 and Rs 500.Meanwhile, on Thursday, Nepal’s central bank issued new Rs 100 notes carrying a revised national map that includes the Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura regions — territories that India maintains belong to it. Nepal claims these areas, lying east of the Mahakali river, fall within its borders according to the 1816 Sugauli Treaty.These disputed territories were incorporated into Nepal’s political map in May 2020 by the K P Sharma Oli government, a move later endorsed by Parliament. India had sharply criticised the updated map at the time, calling it a unilateral and unacceptable “artificial enlargement” of territorial claims.NRB officials noted that Nepal’s Rs 1 and Rs 2 coins have already been minted with the revised map for the past two years.

Ludwig A Minelli (AFP photo)

Head of the Swiss right-to-die group Dignitas, Ludwig Minelli, has died through an assisted death, the organisation has confirmed. Minelli, who founded Dignitas in 1998, died on Saturday, just days before his 93rd birthday. The group said he spent his final years looking for new ways to help people make their own choices about the end of life.“Right up to the end of his life, he continued to search for further ways to help people to exercise their right to freedom of choice and self-determination in their ‘final matters’ – and he often found them.” Dignitas said it would continue his work and run the association in the spirit he set, as an organisation focused on self-determination and freedom of choice.Assisted dying laws have changed widely since Dignitas began. France recently approved assisted dying for some people with terminal illnesses. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Austria have also legalised assisted dying since 2015. In the US, it is allowed in 10 states.In the UK, the assisted dying bill is still being debated. MPs backed it in June, but it is now under scrutiny in the House of Lords. Minelli, a journalist who later became a lawyer, faced several legal battles over the years. He won cases in the Swiss supreme court and at the European Court of Human Rights.Dignitas said Minelli had a lasting impact on Swiss law, noting a 2011 European court ruling that supported a person’s right to choose how and when to end their life. Switzerland does not allow euthanasia, where another person gives a lethal drug. But assisted dying, where a person takes the final action themselves after expressing the wish to die, has been legal for decades. Dignitas, which has over 10,000 members, also accepts people from outside Switzerland. By 2024, it had assisted more than 4,000 deaths, including 571 people from the UK. About 1,900 Britons are members, among them is TV presenter and campaigner Esther Rantzen. In a 2023 interview with the Financial Times, Minelli said he was still working long hours at the age of 90 and believed assisted dying should be available to almost everyone.

Top stocks to buy (AI image)

Stock market recommendations: According to Sudeep Shah, Head – Technical Research and Derivatives, SBI Securities, the top stock picks for this week are 360 ONE WAM, and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M). Here’s his view on Nifty, Bank Nifty for the week starting December 1, 2025:Nifty View:Nifty has finally shattered its 14-month barrier, setting a new all-time high and delivering its strongest-ever weekly and monthly close. This milestone gives bulls every reason to cheer. The rally wasn’t limited to the benchmark alone—Nifty Bank, Nifty Private Bank, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty Auto, and Nifty Infra also scaled record highs, reaffirming that leadership sectors remain firmly in control and continue to march ahead with confidence.Yet, beneath the headline optimism, the broader market tells a different story. While the Nifty Midcap 100 managed to notch a fresh peak, the move was driven by select stocks, signalling narrow participation. In contrast, the Nifty Smallcap 100 slipped for the second straight week and continues to trade below its 20, 50, and 100-day EMAs, reflecting caution and lack of momentum in the smallest segment of the market.The big question now: will the broader market join the rally? Based on current chart structures, meaningful participation from small caps appears unlikely in the near term. Expect the uptrend to remain selective, with sector rotation and stock-specific moves driving gains.Going ahead, Nifty is likely to maintain its upward bias and test 26500, followed by 26800 in the short term. On the downside, the 20-day EMA zone of 25950–25900 should act as a key support in case of any pullback.Bank Nifty ViewBank Nifty continues to lead the market narrative with its remarkable strength. The index not only scaled a fresh all-time high last week but also posted gains for the fourth straight week, reaffirming the dominance of the ongoing bullish trend in the banking space.From a technical perspective, the momentum remains solid. The RSI across all major timeframes is firmly in the super-bullish zone and trending higher, signalling strong buying interest. On the weekly chart, Bank Nifty closed above the upper Bollinger Band, a rare and powerful indication of sustained upside momentum. Other key indicators echo this bullish setup, leaving little doubt about the prevailing strength.Going ahead, the index appears well-positioned to extend its northward march, with immediate targets at 60300, followed by 61000 in the short term. On the downside, the 58800–58700 zone, which coincides with the 20-day EMA, will act as a critical support in case of any pullback. With technical charts clearly favouring the bulls, Bank Nifty is likely to remain the driving force behind the market’s upward trajectory.

Stock recommendations:

360 ONE WAM360 One WAM has recovered steadily after taking strong support near its 200-day EMA zone of 1,060–1,050, with the price now trading above key short-term moving averages and closing above the upper Bollinger Band for two straight sessions. The rising MACD histogram, along with the MACD line positioned well above the zero line, indicates strong bullish momentum and a firmly positive trend.On the weekly chart, the stock has also delivered a downward-sloping trendline breakout supported by rising volumes over the past two weeks. Overall, the technical structure and indicator setup point toward the likelihood of further upside. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 1185-1175 with a stoploss of 1140. On the upside, it is likely to test the level of 1260 in the short term.M&MM&M hovered around its 20-day EMA for the past three sessions before witnessing strong buying on Friday accompanied by rising volumes. This successful hold of the 20-day EMA reinforces that the short-term uptrend remains intact. In the ADX indicator, the DI lines are widening, indicating strengthening directional momentum. Meanwhile, the RSI has moved above 60 and settled above, signalling increasing bullish strength.With supportive price action, improving momentum, and buyers regaining control at key support levels, the stock appears well-positioned for further upside in the near term. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 3760-3730 with a stoploss of 3600. On the upside, it is likely to test the level of 4020 in the short term.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India captain KL Rahul couldn’t hide his admiration — or his nerves — after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma produced commanding innings to script India’s tense 17-run win over South Africa in the opening ODI in Ranchi on Sunday. Kohli’s majestic 135 off 120 balls, his 52nd ODI century, and Rohit’s composed 57 laid the foundation for India’s 349/8, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rahul, speaking after the match, marvelled at how effortless the senior duo made batting look. “Watching Rohit and Kohli play like that is always fun. They’ve made oppositions look silly and show why they are who they are,” he said. “I’ve seen this for a long time, but it’s a lot more fun to see them around in the dressing room.”

But despite the strong batting display, the final overs left the skipper on edge.“I’d be lying if I said there were no butterflies in my stomach. We’re playing ODI cricket after a while and there’s some expectation,” Rahul admitted. “But we kept taking wickets and the bowlers stuck to their plans. They pushed us and kept coming hard.”Rahul, who is adapting to a new role in the middle order, said batting at No. 6 was helping him evolve. “Batting at No. 6 is okay… that’s the role I’ve been given in the last 2–3 series. It’s helping personal development.”

He also reserved praise for Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav, who held their nerves under pressure. “Harshit’s done really well… tall, bowls fast, and has great potential. Kuldeep is doing this job — key for us to take wickets.”Kuldeep, who finished with four wickets, revealed he relied on variation to outfox the Proteas batters.“We wanted to attack despite it being tough to bowl… I was mixing scrambled seam and seam-up, trying to bowl back of a length. It was very challenging — the ball was getting wet,” Kuldeep said. “You can’t rely only on stock balls. You have to keep batters guessing.”South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram praised his team’s fight but admitted the top-order collapse hurt them. “Proud of the chase… but the top order falling was defining. Small pieces to do better,” he said.India now head into the second ODI with momentum.

Representative image (AI-generated)

Jefferies initiated its coverage on Lenskart with a buy rating and the target price at Rs 500. Analysts said that Lenskart, India’s largest tech-driven eyewear retailer, holds just about 5% market share, offering strong growth potential. Its vertically integrated omni-channel model ensures cost efficiency, rapid delivery, and superior customer experience, they said. India serves as a bedrock for the company with over 85% contribution to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), while the international segment offers optionality. Analysts feel Lenskart offers attractive unit economics and fast paybacks should drive 50%+ adjusted EBITDA compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) between FY25 and FY28.Nomura has a buy rating on M&M with the target price at Rs 4,355. Analysts said that M&M launched a new 7-seater electric XEV 9S SUV on Nov 27 Nov at an introductory price of Rs 19.95 lakh. Bookings for the model will begin on Jan 14, 2026 and deliveries will start from Jan 23, 2026. XEV 9S comes with premium features and is priced much more attractively than expectations of Rs 23-31 lakh. XEV 9S is based on the INGLO platform and powered by MAIA.Kotak Institutional Equities has upgraded JSW Infrastructure to reduce from sell with the target price at Rs 270. Analysts said that the recent discussion about the company comforts them on prospects that it would leverage the group’s capabilities and requirements to generate a reasonable return on growth investments over the next five years. It also provides comforts on recovery in growth in Jaigarh by using pricing and investment levers to regain market share in Maharashtra. They feel that the key risk to the investment thesis is longevity and sustainability of growth, which lacks comfort for now. They also feel that the recent price correction still falls short of giving an attractive buy price point.UBS has a buy on GAIL with the target price at Rs 215. Analysts said that the recent tariff hike was disappointing while the increase in realized tariffs could be even lower. The 12% hike in announced tariffs does not mean equal increase in realized tariffs, they said. Current hike in tariffs reflects revision in only two parameters: Increase of Rs 5.16/mmbtu on account of higher system-use-gas, and the increase of Rs 1.92/mmbtu on account of lower volume divisor as per latest capacity determination. However, the regulator deferred the review of other parameters to FY28 (next tariff effective from 1 April 2028), flagging that a true-up of all parameters at this stage would lead to a material increase in tariff and can place some unexpected financial pressure on its customers.JP Morgan has an overweight rating on LIC with the target price at Rs 1,200. Analysts feel that the product mix shift, margin expansion, and distribution diversification would drive growth for the life insurance major. They also feel that the GST removal is likely to increase both the penetration and density of the insurance market. The company does not plan to pass on the cost benefit to distributors or customers, analysts said.

Jaya Bachchan has called the concept of ‘marriage’ an outdated institution in modern times. The 77-year-old expressed that her granddaughter, Navya Naveli Nanda, who would be turning 28 in a week, should not tie the knot. The actress further highlighted that she is too old to be advising young women on how to bring up kids, and accepted that the children have been getting smarter.

Jaya Bachchan talked about her granddaughter’s marriage

Jaya Bachchan casually dropped the encouraging sentence in a conversation ‘Just enjoy life,’ when she was asked about the legality of marriage. She was asked whether the actress would be fine to see Nanda following her steps and leaving her career after getting married. Bachchan replied, “I don’t want Navya to get married.” When the host asked to elaborate about thinking that marriage is an outdated institution, the ‘Abhimaan’ actress claimed that today’s children can outsmart anyone during her interview with We The Women in Mumbai.

For Jaya Bachchan, marriage is like a sweet dish

Circling back to the wedding, Jaya Bachchan, who herself has been married for over 50 years with Amitabh Bachchan, explained the concept by comparing it with Delhi-ka ladoo. If you eat them, you will end up getting in trouble, but if you don’t, you’ll regret it immediately. Jaya Bachahan and Nanda Navya Naveli have been known for their extraordinary and progressive thoughts. While the actress had claimed it was not this free in her time when she was young, Jaya highlighted the need for emotional and mental compatibility is a must during Navya’s podcast. “People will find it objectionable coming from me, but physical attraction and compatibility are also very important. Our times, we couldn’t experiment, but today the generation does, and why shouldn’t they? Because that also is responsible for a long-lasting relationship,” Jaya Bachchan said while speaking on the topic of having children without marriage, adding that it is important for the love to last long.