Gujarat Giants Women vs Up Warriorz Women Live Score: UP Warriorz enter the tournament hoping for a turnaround under the leadership of Meg Lanning. The former Australia captain, who guided Delhi Capitals to three straight finals, has been brought in to halt a downward trend that saw the Warriorz slide from third to fourth and then finish bottom over the first three editions. Her presence is expected to add structure and composure to a side that looked unsettled last season, particularly when regular captain Alyssa Healy was unavailable.

Despite the change at the helm, the Warriorz still have areas to resolve. Wicketkeeping remains a concern with Shipra Giri the only specialist option in the squad. At the top of the order, Phoebe Litchfield offers versatility and could open alongside Kiran Navgire, while the onus of building innings will rest on the experienced middle-order pairing of Lanning and Harleen Deol.

The team’s bowling, however, appears well-stocked. World-class spin options Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma form the core, complemented by the experience of Shikha Pandey and the pace of Kranti Goud. The mix gives the Warriorz variety across phases, from new-ball control to death-over execution.

Gujarat Giants come into the opener with a more positive recent memory, having made the playoffs last season after two disappointing campaigns. Under the captaincy of Ashleigh Gardner, they carry a strong overseas contingent but are still searching for a settled Indian batting presence to anchor the lineup.

Beth Mooney is expected to handle wicketkeeping duties and set the tone at the top, while Sophie Devine’s return after missing the 2025 season adds further depth and experience. The Giants’ pace unit is led by Renuka Singh Thakur, with Kim Garth and Kashvee Gautam providing support.

Spin is another area of strength for Gujarat, with Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Tanuja Kanwar giving the side multiple options depending on conditions.

With both teams in phases of transition, the opening clash offers an early opportunity to lay down a marker and shape the narrative of their WPL campaigns.

Teams (from):
UP Warriorz: Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Meg Lanning (C), Phoebe Litchfield, Kiran Navgire, Harleen Deol, Kranti Goud, Asha Sobhana, Deandra Dottin, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Charli Knott, Chloe Tryon, Suman Meena, G Trisha, Pratika Rawa

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (C), Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashvee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni

India’s office real estate market posted its strongest performance on record in 2025, with annual gross leasing touching an all-time high of 86.4 million square feet, according to Knight Frank India’s latest India Real Estate – Office and Residential Market (H2 2025) report.Leasing activity rose 20% year-on-year, surpassing the previous peak achieved in 2024 and marking a 43% increase over pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. The surge underscores sustained occupier confidence and India’s growing prominence as a global business destination.Bengaluru continued its dominance as the largest office market grossing 28 mn sq ft, a historic best for this market. Hyderabad (11.4 mn sq ft), National Capital Region (NCR) (11.3 mn sq ft), Pune (10.8 mn sq ft) and Chennai (10.1 mn sq ft) all crossed a 10 mn sq ft benchmark, with Mumbai (9.8 mn sq ft) narrowly missing the line. GCCs drove demand commanding 38% of the total absorption, the report highlighted.Global Capability Centres (GCCs) emerged as the dominant demand driver, accounting for 38% of total office absorption during the year. Bengaluru alone captured nearly half of GCC-related leasing, reinforcing its status as India’s primary hub for research, technology, and global operations. Flexible workspace operators and third-party IT services also posted their highest-ever annual leasing volumes, reflecting renewed confidence among technology-led occupiers.Despite robust demand, new office supply lagged behind leasing activity. Office completions increased 9% year-on-year to 54.8 million sq ft in 2025, with Bengaluru and Pune accounting for the bulk of new additions. The supply-demand imbalance led to firm rental growth across all major markets, with NCR and Hyderabad witnessing annual rental appreciation of 10%, followed by Mumbai and Bengaluru at 6% each, the report mentioned. Knight Frank noted that Grade A office space continued to dominate occupier preferences, accounting for over 90% of total leasing during the year, as companies increasingly prioritised modern infrastructure, sustainability, and long-term operational efficiency.With demand momentum expected to carry into 2026, and limited near-term supply additions, the Indian office market is poised to remain one of the strongest performers globally despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has admitted that the uncertainty over his team’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup in India is taking a psychological toll on the players, even as they try to behave as if “everything is ok”. Shanto also criticised Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Najmul Islam for branding former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” after Tamim called for a calm and pragmatic resolution to the ongoing standoff.Bangladesh’s World Cup campaign has been overshadowed by controversy after the BCB approached the ICC seeking a change of venue for the team’s matches, citing security concerns in India.

“First of all, if you look at our World Cup results, we’ve never really played consistently good cricket. Last year, we did play well, but there were even better opportunities, and we couldn’t capitalise on them.“But you’ll see that something always happens before every World Cup. I can say this from my experience of three World Cups – it does have an effect,” Shanto told reporters on Friday.“Now, we act as if nothing affects us, that we are fully professional cricketers. You guys also understand that we are acting – it’s not easy,” he added.Shanto said the players are doing their best to block out the distractions and focus on performances.“Of course, it would be better if these things didn’t happen, but this is partly beyond our control,” he said.The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, with Bangladesh slated to play four matches in India — three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.The BCB has demanded that the fixtures be shifted to Sri Lanka following the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL on the BCCI’s instructions, with the Indian board citing unspecified “developments all around”.“I don’t know the details of how it happened, or how it could have been controlled. Still, I’d say that even acting in such circumstances (is difficult),” Shanto said.“With the right mindset if we go to the World Cup and play anywhere, we should focus on how to do our best for the team,” he added.Shanto also expressed strong disappointment over BCB director M Najmul Islam’s remarks about Tamim Iqbal.“Very sad, very sad because such comments were made about a cricketer – a former captain, and in my opinion one of Bangladesh’s most successful cricketers whom we grew up watching,” Shanto said.“As players, we expect respect – whether someone is a former captain, a regular player, successful or not. At the end of the day, a cricketer hopes for respect,” he added.Calling the BCB “supposed to be our guardian”, Shanto said the comment was unacceptable.“Parents should correct you at home, not in front of everyone. So such a comment from someone who is supposed to be our guardian is very difficult to accept. I completely reject it as a player,” he concluded.

MEERUT: A 50-year-old Dalit woman was killed after she stepped between her daughter and the men who abducted her on Thursday in Meerut’s Kapsad village. She was struck on the head with a sharp weapon by abductors before they fled with her 20-year-old daughter. Police said local residents Paras Som, 23, and Sunil Kumar, 25, were the ones involved in the crime. Meerut SSP Vipin Tada said police have doubled the number of investigation teams from the initial five to 10. “An FIR has been filed against two persons under BNS sections for murder and abduction, along with relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act. Based on the clues, teams have also been sent to Haryana and Delhi,” the SSP said. The incident took a turn after it emerged that the woman and the accused belonged to different communities.Meerut Zone ADG Bhanu Bhaskar told TOI, “We have assured the family that every possible measure is being taken to recover their daughter and bring the perpetrators to justice.” Meerut DM VK Singh, added, “A total of Rs 10 lakh has been given to the family from the CM relief fund, and they will receive an additional Rs 12 lakh by the time the chargesheet is filed in court.” “Paras misbehaved with my daughter. When I protested, he started beating and abusing me. He hit my head with a sharp instrument,” the woman said hours before succumbing to her injuries at a local hospital. The accused are on the run, police said.As outrage spread, politicians visited the family on Friday. Former Union minister and ex-MP of Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan said, “I asked them to have a little patience.” BSP supremo Mayawati posted on X, “Govt must take these incidents of violation of women’s dignity and subsequent murder with utmost seriousness and take immediate and strict action against the culprits to prevent criminal elements from committing such heinous acts in the future.” SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X, “…BJP govt reached a point of no return in its patronage of criminals… There can be nothing worse than a situation where people lose all hope in their govt.”

All eyes turn to the iconic Wanderers Stadium for a tense rematch as the Joburg Super Kings welcome reigning champions MI Cape Town. JSK, placed securely in the top half of the standings, will be eager to settle scores after going down to MICT in a rain-affected nail-biter earlier this week. For MI Cape Town, the clash carries added urgency, with victory essential to revive their playoff ambitions following a slow beginning to their campaign.

JSK enter this match in second place on the points table, though they have felt hard done by the weather, with two of their last three fixtures ending in no results. Despite these interruptions, Faf du Plessis and James Vince have remained a formidable opening pair, consistently providing explosive starts. On the bowling front, Nandre Burger and Richard Gleeson have been the primary threats, though they will need more discipline against a deep MICT batting lineup.

MI Cape Town, currently languishing at the bottom of the table, finally found a spark in their recent 4-wicket win over JSK at Newlands. That victory was fuelled by a clinical bowling performance from Corbin Bosch and Rashid Khan, followed by an aggressive cameo from Nicholas Pooran. With Ryan Rickelton leading the tournament’s run-scoring charts with 204 runs, the champions have the firepower to climb the rankings if their star-studded bowling attack, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Trent Boult, can find its rhythm early in the innings.

While JSK has been the more consistent side this season, MICT’s recent psychological edge from their win on January 6 makes this an unpredictable clash between two of the most popular franchises in the SA20.

JSK vs MICT, SA20 2025-26: Match details

• Date and Time: January 10 (Saturday); 9:00 pm IST / 03:30 pm GMT / 5:30 pm Local
• Venue: The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

JSK vs MICT, Head-to-Head Record in SA20:

Matches played: 7 | MI Cape Town won: 4 | Joburg Super Kings won: 3 | No result/Tied: 0

Wanderers Stadium Pitch Report

The pitch at the Wanderers Stadium is a traditional South African “Bullring” surface, famously known as a batter’s paradise due to its high altitude and lightning-fast outfield. Stroke-makers will enjoy the consistent bounce and carry, which allows the ball to come onto the bat nicely right from the powerplay. However, recent overcast conditions and moisture from seasonal rain could offer the seamers some lateral movement and extra zip in the opening overs. While history favours high-scoring encounters, captains generally prefer to bowl first here to exploit any early assistance for the pacers before the surface flattens out.

Also WATCH: 6,6,6,6,6,6: Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford unleash a flurry of sixes on MI Cape Town bowlers in SA20 2025-26

Squads

Joburg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (c), Rilee Rossouw, Wiaan Mulder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Matthew De Villiers, Dian Forrester, Shubham Ranjane, Duan Jansen, Janco Smit, Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, James Vince, Imran Tahir, Reece Topley, Prenelan Subrayen, Daniel Worrall, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Nandre Burger, Steve Stolk, Neil Timmers, Jarren Bacher

MI Cape Town: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Nicholas Pooran, Jason Smith, Jacques Snyman, Tom Moores, George Linde, Rashid Khan (c), Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Dane Piedt, Karim Janat, Thomas Kaber, Tiaan van Vuuren, Tristan Luus, Daniel Lategan, Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Corbin Bosch

JSK vs MICT, SA20 2025-26: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• MI Cape Town wins the toss and bowls first
• Joburg Super Kings’ powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
• Joburg Super Kings’ total score: 190-200

Case 2:

• Joburg Super Kings wins the toss and bowls first
• MI Cape Town’s powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• MI Cape Town’s total score: 180-190

Match result: Team batting first to win the contest

Also READ: Faf du Plessis recalls MS Dhoni’s iconic act after Donovan Ferreira’s stunning run-out for Joburg Super Kings in SA20 2025-26

MUMBAI: The conversation on artificial intelligence in healthcare is often dominated by grand promises — faster diagnoses, scalable access, precision medicine at population scale. But at the inaugural Winter Dialogue on RAISE (Responsible AI for Synergistic Excellence in Healthcare) at Ashoka University last week, the focus shifted quietly but firmly to a harder set of questions: who does AI really work for, who does it leave out, and how do we govern what we do not yet fully understand.Hosted by the Koita Centre for Digital Health at Ashoka University (KCDH-A), in partnership with NIMS Jaipur and with WHO SEARO as technical host alongside ICMR-NIRDHS and the Gates Foundation, the two-day dialogue served as an official Pre-Summit Event of the AI Impact Summit 2026. It was also the first in a series of four national RAISE dialogues scheduled across India this month, with the opening edition focused on the theme of Health AI: Policy and Governance.If there was a unifying thread across sessions, it was the gap between technical capability and institutional readiness. Dr Karthik Adapa, Regional Adviser for Digital Health at WHO, warned against what he called the persistent problem of “pilotitis” — the tendency for digital health solutions to remain trapped in experimental pilots without ever scaling into public systems. Frameworks such as SALIENT, he argued, were essential precisely because they force practitioners to think beyond models and metrics, and towards integration, evaluation, and long-term use.That tension between optimisation and equity surfaced repeatedly. In his opening remarks, Dr Anurag Agrawal posed a question that lingered across the conference halls: ‘Would you choose a model with higher average accuracy, but poor performance for women, or one with lower accuracy that shows equity in outcomes?’ His larger point was captured in a phrase that became something of a refrain: ‘AI for Health, not Healthcare for AI.’The panels that followed reflected how complicated that translation from principle to practice really is. From tuberculosis screening and cancer detection to maternal health monitoring across Indian states, case studies showed both promise and fragility — fragile data pipelines, uneven infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty, and deeply embedded social bias that algorithms can easily reproduce.Mental health discussions were particularly cautious. As Dr Prabha Chand observed, large language models are ‘optimised for engagement, not clinical outcomes,’ while Dr Smruti Joshi reminded the room that ‘mental health judgment cannot be fully automated.’ The challenge, several panellists argued, is not whether AI has a role, but how narrowly and carefully that role is defined — especially when working with vulnerable populations.Validation and accountability emerged as equally central. Dr Mary-Anne Hartley emphasised that imperfect data produces imperfect models, especially in contexts as diverse as India’s. Continuous monitoring, bias mitigation, and human-in-the-loop systems, panellists argued, must become standard rather than optional.Reflecting on the broader implications, Dr Anurag Agrawal returned to the ethical core of the discussion: ‘The real test of health AI is not peak accuracy in controlled settings, but equitable performance in the real world. If AI systems work well on average but fail women or marginalised populations, we have failed the purpose. We must design AI for health—not bend healthcare to fit AI.’That sentiment was echoed by Vice-Chancellor Somak Raychaudhury, who noted that ‘Responsible AI in health cannot be built in silos… Universities have a crucial role to play — not only in advancing research, but in creating the intellectual and institutional infrastructure needed to ensure that AI serves public good, equity, and trust at scale.’RAISE, as Aradhita Baral described it, is intended as “a platform for sustained dialogue rather than isolated conversations.” Its expansion to IIT Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad over the coming weeks suggests that India’s AI-in-health debate is finally moving from hype to homework — from what is possible to what is responsible.

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reignited political debate in Telangana by proposing to rename Nizamabad district as Indur if it comes to power in the state.Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind said names associated with the Nizam era reflect oppression and suffering and should be replaced to reflect cultural pride and nationalist identity.

Backing him, Telangana BJP State President Ramchander Rao said, “Our Nizamabad MP has given a statement that if the BJP comes to power, we will change the name of Nizamabad to Indur. The BJP is with him.”Rao added that the proposal is not limited to Nizamabad alone, alleging that several places in Telangana still carry names from the Nizam rule, which he described as marked by atrocities.“These names remind us of that period. That is the reason they need to be changed. Not only Nizamabad, but there are also many cities in Telangana whose names have to be changed,” Rao added. The statements drew sharp criticism from Congress. Former MP and senior leader Hanumanth Rao accused the BJP of unnecessarily creating new issues and attempting to divide the country. Rao alleged that Nizamabad had different names in the distant past and several governments have come to power since Independence, but none changed the city’s name.He warned that such statements could trigger law-and-order problems and cautioned the Telangana government to take note of the issue. Rao said that similar demands could follow for renaming landmarks like Charminar or Osmania University.Hanumanth Rao also accused the BJP of using identity-based politics for electoral gains, stressing that India is home to diverse cultures and religions. “At the time of Independence, people from all religions, castes, and creeds fought together for the nation. India is a secular country and cannot be turned into a Hindu nation,” he said.Rao accused the centre of following identity-based politics for electoral gains. He claimed that while Narendra Modi is Prime Minister, real influence lies with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and asserted that India’s secular character can’t be changed. The renewed push follows earlier demands in Telangana, including calls to rename Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar, first raised by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the 2020 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections. Yogi had said, “Some people were asking me if Hyderabad can be renamed as Bhagyanagar. I said why not. I told them that we renamed Faizabad as Ayodhya and Allahabad as Prayagraj after BJP came into power in UP. Then why Hyderabad can’t be renamed as Bhagyanagar?”

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s rich vein of form is set to headline India’s ODI campaign as the hosts, at full strength, face a revamped New Zealand side in the opening match of the three-ODI series on Sunday.Even with the T20 World Cup less than a month away, the spotlight over the next week will firmly remain on Kohli and Rohit, who continue to underline their enduring relevance in the 50-over format. Both batters have had ample match practice, featuring in a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy league games and piling up runs to show that their appetite and ability remain intact.

A subplot to watch closely will be how India captain Shubman Gill responds after being left out of the T20 World Cup squad. Gill’s omission followed a run of indifferent form, compounded by injuries that restricted his participation during the South Africa series late last year. His return to the ODI XI, however, could push Yashasvi Jaiswal out of the top order, despite the left-hander scoring his maiden ODI century in the final match against South Africa.The comeback of Shreyas Iyer is expected to bring stability to the middle order after a prolonged phase of experimentation. The 31-year-old is likely to slot straight back into his familiar No. 4 position. KL Rahul’s continued role as a lower-order batter and wicketkeeper means Rishabh Pant remains the second-choice option in the format.While Iyer, Pant and Mohammed Siraj were absent from training until Saturday, Ravindra Jadeja went through a full session on Friday, signalling his readiness. With Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya rested to manage workloads ahead of the T20 season, India’s pace attack will be handled by Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna. Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Jadeja will shoulder spin duties on surfaces where dew and flat pitches often place a premium on control rather than outright aggression.The series opener also marks a milestone for the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium at Kotambi, which will host its first men’s international, having earlier staged a women’s ODI series between India and the West Indies.For New Zealand, the series offers a chance to assess fresh faces, with last year’s Champions Trophy final loss to India largely irrelevant in the current context. Despite missing several frontline players, the Black Caps are expected to lean on the mindset that powered their stunning 3-0 Test series win in India in 2024-25.Mitchell Santner is sidelined with a groin injury, Tom Latham has returned home for the birth of his first child, and Kane Williamson is engaged in the SA20. Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy have been rested, while Matt Henry is being eased back with an eye on the T20Is. Michael Bracewell will lead the side, with attention also on Kyle Jamieson and young leg-spinner Adithya Ashok, even as the batting still boasts depth through Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will Young and Glenn Phillips.Teams (from):India: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana.New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Devon Conway (wk), Mitchell Hay (wk), Nick Kelly, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox, Michael Rae.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted that the government’s long-term energy planning is translating into tangible benefits for citizens, stating that the real test of policy lies in how seamlessly it supports daily life rather than in announcements alone.In a post on the social media platform X, the minister noted that India’s energy planning is being tested every day in real-world conditions, in homes, on roads, and across workplaces, where forecasts meet lived reality.He pointed to the expansion of piped natural gas (PNG) connections, noting that around 1.58 crore kitchens across the country now receive PNG without the need for booking refills, reflecting a shift towards convenience and cleaner fuel.“India’s energy systems are built to be ready before pressure peaks. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, planning is measured by how smoothly daily life runs,” he wrote on X, hinting at how important planning is in a fast-growing economy.Minister Puri also emphasised the growth of compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure as a key indicator of planning that keeps pace with demand. Currently, 8,428 CNG stations are operational nationwide, with the number targeted to more than double to 18,336 by 2030.This expansion, he said, is enabling wider access to cleaner transportation fuel for motorists.Another major focus stressed by the minister was the expansion of the national gas pipeline network. According to him, the pipeline length has grown from about 15,000 kilometres in 2014 to 25,429 kilometres today. The government plans to extend this further to 33,475 kilometres by 2030, strengthening energy connectivity and preparedness.“Energy systems cannot wait for pressure to appear. They must be ready before demand peaks. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s energy planning is increasingly defined not by announcements, but by how smoothly daily life runs. Because the true test of planning is not what is promised, but what quietly works,” a video shared along with the Minister’s post on X noted. (ANI)