England’s Ben Stokes celebrates with teammates (AP/PTI)

England produced a stunning Boxing Day result at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, pulling off a memorable four-wicket win over Australia that carried significance well beyond the Ashes scoreline. Although Australia had already sealed the urn with a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, the victory marked a rare and much-needed breakthrough for the visitors, ending a 19-Test winless run in Australia. The result also sent ripples through the ICC World Test Championship 2025–2027 standings. Australia had entered the match with a flawless record and a perfect 100 per cent points percentage. The defeat brought that run to an end, handing them their first loss of the current cycle and opening up the race for the rest of the field.

Australia remain firmly at the top of the table despite the setback, but their points percentage has dropped from 100 to 85.71. While they are still well placed to qualify for the WTC final, the cushion they enjoyed over New Zealand has been reduced, making the contest at the top slightly tighter. For England, the win provided a valuable boost in an otherwise challenging campaign. Ben Stokes’ side have now collected 12 points in the cycle, lifting their points percentage to 35.18. However, they continue to sit seventh in the standings, with significant ground to make up on India and the teams placed above them.

WTC Points Table:

WTC Points Table

New Zealand and South Africa stand to gain the most from Australia finally dropping points. With the leaders no longer perfect, the battle for top spot, and the confidence that comes with it, is very much alive. India currently occupy sixth place with a points percentage of 48.15. With Australia and New Zealand maintaining strong positions, India will need an almost flawless run in their upcoming fixtures to push into the top two. England, while still behind India, will be aiming to close that gap after adding another win to their tally. The focus now shifts to Sydney, where the final Test of the Ashes series begins at the SCG on January 4. Australia will be eager to reassert their authority, while England will hope the momentum from Melbourne helps them climb further up the World Test Championship table.

Actress Sara Ali Khan has opened up about the knife attack on her father, actor Saif Ali Khan, earlier this January, saying that the family endured an extremely difficult phase at the beginning of the year. Sharmila and Sara were speaking on Soha Ali Khan‘s podcast called “ALL ABOUT HER”. Soha asked a question to the grandmother-granddaughter duo about what they have learned from each other.

Sara Ali Khan talks about Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing incident

Sara said: “I have learned that dignity and grace above all else even in the hardest of times. I think as a family we have been through quite a lot together especially earlier this year with abba (Saif Ali Khan).”It was in January, when Saif was attacked with a knife by an intruder at his Mumbai home during an alleged robbery attempt, sustaining multiple stab wounds to his back and arm, requiring surgery but ultimately recovering.Sara added: “But I think just holding herself together and not letting that go I think that’s something.”Talking about that one thing about her grandmother Sharmila Tagore he wants to incorporate in her life, she said: ” I think badhi ammi is very dignified and that is something I really aspire to be able to inculcate in life.”Talking about Sara, who is the daughter of Saif and Amrita Singh, was last seen in ‘Metro… In Dino’, a spiritual sequel to Basu’s 2007 anthology film Life in a… Metro. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, and Fatima Sana Shaikh.The narrative interweaves multiple contemporary love stories set in urban India, exploring themes of connection, loneliness, and emotional vulnerability in modern relationships. The title of the film has a thematic link to the song ‘In Dino’ from the previous film ‘Life in a…Metro’.She is all geared up to star opposite Ayushmann Khurrana, Rakul Preet Singh and Wamiqa Gabbi in ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh Do’.

India clinched a commanding eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the third T20I at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, on December 26, 2025, sealing the five-match series 3-0. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur etched her name in history with this triumph, breaking Meg Lanning’s record as captain in Women’s T20Is. Shafali Verma’s explosive unbeaten 79 off 42 balls powered India to chase down 113 in just 13.2 overs, while bowlers Renuka Singh (4/21) and Deepti Sharma (3/18) dismantled Sri Lanka for 112/7.​

Harmanpreet Kaur creates history surpassing Meg Lanning’s record

Harmanpreet has now claimed the pinnacle of captaincy success in Women’s T20Is, securing 77 victories across 130 matches led, surpassing Australia’s trailblazing former captain Lanning’s mark of 76 wins in just 100 outings. This landmark achievement factors in super over triumphs, highlighting Kaur’s knack for delivering under pressure in the shortest format.​

Her record speaks volumes about remarkable longevity and resilience, as she has helmed India in more T20I games than any other player globally, while also accumulating 185 total appearances for the side – a testament to her enduring presence since breaking into the international scene in 2010.

The emphatic 3-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram not only sealed the rubber but also etched Kaur’s 16th victory against them – the most by any captain over a single opponent – underscoring her dominance in bilateral contests. This milestone arrives amid a stellar 2025 for the 36-year-old, who has revitalized her form with the bat and bolstered team morale, positioning India strongly for upcoming events.

Also READ: Renuka Thakur and Shafali Verma power India to unassailable 3-0 series lead with eight wicket win over Sri Lanka in third T20I

All-time captaincy leaders in Women’s T20Is

Since taking over as India’s full-time T20I captain in 2016, Harmanpreet has maintained an impressive win percentage of 58.46, guiding the team through a sustained period of competitiveness. Under her leadership, India have regularly challenged the top sides and reached multiple World Cup semifinals, reflecting the stability and belief she has instilled in the squad.

England’s celebrated captains Heather Knight and Charlotte Edwards also feature prominently on the list, with Knight recording around 71-72 wins from 96 matches and Edwards ending with 68 victories in 93 games. While both have been influential figures for England, their numbers highlight the scale of Harmanpreet’s achievement in terms of both volume and efficiency.

This record-breaking run in 2025 has given Indian women’s cricket a timely boost, strengthening confidence and momentum as the team builds towards upcoming global tournament.

Also READ: IND-W vs SL-W: Smriti Mandhana breaks Suzie Bates’ record in T20Is

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

The US Wall Street is hoping to mark a strong finish for the year, amid recent highs. The S&P 500 ended at a record high on Wednesday, ahead of the Christmas holiday , being just around 1 per cent short of the 7,000 mark for the first time.The S&P 500 is on track for its eighth straight month of gains, a trend not seen since 2017-2018. The benchmark index has grown nearly 18 per cent this year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq is up 22 per cent.Investors remain optimistic, with the US stock market showing signs of continued growth despite earlier concerns over technology sector weakness, according to a Reuters report.“Momentum is certainly on the side of the bulls,” said Paul Nolte, senior wealth adviser at Murphy & Sylvest Wealth Management, as quoted by Reuters. “Barring any exogenous event, the path of least resistance for stocks, I think, is higher,” he added.The Federal Reserve’s recent actions are keeping investors on edge. The Fed cut rates by 75 basis points over its last three meetings of 2025, bringing them to 3.50 per cent-3.75 per cent. Markets are eagerly awaiting the minutes from the December meeting, due next Tuesday.Additionally, an interesting shift is happening in the market. While tech stocks have struggled lately, dropping over 3 per cent since November, other sectors are doing well. Key sectors to mark significant gains include- Finance, transport, healthcare, and small-cap stocks.Anthony Saglimbene from Ameriprise Financial sees this as a positive sign, saying, “There are more investors that are buying in to the narrative that the economy is on pretty solid footing right now,” he explained. “And it has weathered a lot of potential roadblocks this year that might not be such roadblocks next year,” he added.Investors are also watching for President Donald Trump’s nomination for the next Fed chair, as Jerome Powell’s term ends in May 2026. This decision could impact market movements in the coming week.

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Representative image (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: AAP leader and former MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday raised concerns over incidents of “violence and intimidation” targeting people celebrating Christmas across the country. He even said that “Santa Claus reached police station to register FIR against Right Wing goons.”In a post on X, the former AAP MLA wrote, “They are actually hurt by violence & intimidation against those celebrating Christmas in India. Police was waiting for a complaint to take any action. So complaint has been filed. Now let’s wait for action !!”Reports of vandalism and alleged targeted attacks during Christmas celebrations in several states triggered sharp political reactions. Opposition parties criticised the BJP, while the ruling party maintained that law and order were being enforced.Disruptions were reported from Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Odisha, where Christian communities alleged vandalism, intimidation and harassment during Christmas events. While authorities said they had the situation under control, opposition leaders described the pattern as deeply troubling.In Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, a BJP official allegedly assaulted a visually impaired Christian woman during a children’s feast, and mobs interrupted church services. In Palakkad, Kerala, an RSS worker reportedly attacked carol-singing children and damaged their instruments, while right-wing pressure forced several schools to cancel festivities.Chhattisgarh saw vandalism and arson targeting Christian properties in Raipur and Kanker. In Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, groups protested outside a cathedral. In Delhi and Odisha, street vendors selling Christmas items reported harassment by vigilantes claiming the products were “non-Hindu”.The incidents drew condemnation from multiple opposition leaders.Trinamool Congress’s Kunal Ghosh accused right-wing groups of targeting minorities. He told reporters, “BJP’s associates, such as Bajrang Dal and others, are targeting other religions, which is not what our culture teaches. What the Constitution says, the BJP does exactly the opposite. What they have done is wrong, and we condemn it.”Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Christmas 2025 had been overshadowed by “fear and anxiety” in many regions. Referring to incidents in Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, he called the attacks on carol groups and religious symbols an assault on India’s pluralistic fabric.

India’s Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma returning to the Vijay Hazare Trophy has injected renewed buzz into India’s premier domestic one-day competition. While the tournament may not enjoy the spectacle or financial scale of the Indian Premier League, it remains the backbone of India’s white-ball domestic structure. The presence of two of the country’s biggest stars has naturally drawn attention not only to the matches themselves, but also to how the competition is organised and how players are compensated. Unlike the IPL, where player salaries are shaped by an auction, earnings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy follow a clearly defined framework. For the 2025–26 season, match fees are governed by a tiered system based on the number of List A appearances a player has made. Experience, rather than star power, determines pay, which places veterans like Kohli and Rohit in the highest bracket.

Players with more than 40 List A matches fall under the senior category and earn Rs 60,000 per match if they are part of the playing XI, and Rs 30,000 if named among the reserves. Those with 21 to 40 List A games are classified as mid-level players, receiving Rs 50,000 per match in the XI and Rs 25,000 as reserves. The junior bracket, comprising players with up to 20 List A appearances, earns Rs 40,000 per match when playing and Rs 20,000 when on the bench. In the current season, Kohli, representing Delhi, and Rohit, turning out for Mumbai, earn the same match fee as any other seasoned domestic cricketer. Having comfortably crossed the 40-match mark, both fall into the senior category and are paid Rs 60,000 per game. This figure stands in stark contrast to their international earnings, with the BCCI paying them Rs 6 lakh per ODI. Match fees, however, are not the only source of income in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Players also receive daily allowances that cover travel, food and accommodation during the tournament. On top of that, individual performances can bring additional rewards, with Man of the Match awards typically carrying a cash prize of Rs 10,000. Teams that progress deep into the competition also benefit from prize money, which is shared among players and support staff.