The first double-header of the WPL 2026 season kicks off with a fascinating contest between two sides eager to establish early dominance. The Gujarat Giants (GG), who finally broke their playoff jinx last season by finishing third, come into this edition with a settled core and renewed confidence under Ashleigh Gardner.

On the other side, the UP Warriorz (UPW) are arguably the most transformed side of the auction. After finishing at the bottom of the table last year, they have hit the reset button in spectacular fashion, bringing in the legendary Meg Lanning to steer the ship. This match isn’t just about points; it’s a battle between Gujarat’s stability and UP’s star-studded overhaul.

Team combinations

The Giants have finally found a formula that works. Retaining Gardner as captain and Beth Mooney at the top provides them with a world-class spine. The addition of Sophie Devine adds immense power to the top order, potentially pairing with Mooney or Danni Wyatt-Hodge. The arrival of Renuka Singh gives them the swing threat they lacked, complementing the spin mastery of Gardner, Georgia Wareham, and Tanuja Kanwer. How they utilize Ashleigh Gardner with the bat. Often floating in the order, her stability at No. 4 will be crucial against UP’s spinners.

All eyes will be on Lanning. The former Delhi Capitals skipper has moved to UPW to lead a revival. The Warriorz broke the bank to re-sign Deepti Sharma (₹3.2 CR) and brought in explosive talents like Deandra Dottin and Phoebe Litchfield (poached from Gujarat). A powerhouse middle order. A batting lineup featuring Lanning, Litchfield, Dottin, and Kiran Navgire is terrifying on paper. Sophie Ecclestone remains the best spinner in the world, and her partnership with Deepti Sharma on the DY Patil surface could be the deciding factor.

GG-W vs UP-W, WPL 2026: Match details

• Date and Time: January 10; 03:30 pm IST/ 10:00 am GMT
• Venue: DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai

GG-W vs UP-W, Head-to-Head Record in WPL

Matches played: 6 | Gujarat Giants won: 3 | UP Warriroz won: 3 | No result: 0

Also READ: WPL 2026 Opening Ceremony: Date, Time, Performers and Live Streaming details

Dr DY Patil Sports Academy Pitch Report

The surface at the DY Patil Academy is traditionally a batter’s paradise. It offers good bounce and the ball comes onto the bat nicely, allowing for stroke-making through the line. Being an afternoon game, dew won’t be a major factor, but the heat might be. Expect the captain winning the toss to bowl first, looking to restrict the opposition to under 160 and chase it down on a track that gets better for batting.

Squads:

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

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

GG-W vs UP-W, WPL 2026: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Gujarat Giants Women wins the toss and bowl first
• UP Warriorz Bengaluru Women’s powerplay score: 45-55
• UP Warriorz Bengaluru Women’s total score: 140-150

Case 2:

• UP Warriorz Bengaluru Women wins the toss and bowl first
• Gujarat Giants Women’s powerplay score: 50-60
• Gujarat Giants Women’s total score: 155-165

Match result: Team bowling first to win the match.

Also READ: WPL 2026 Schedule: TV channels, Live Streaming details: When and where to watch in India, Australia, US, UK & other countries | Women’s Premier League

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

NEW DELHI: Wasim Akram stole the show during the Pakistan Super League’s franchise auction on Thursday, turning the high-stakes bidding war into a moment of levity with his trademark wit.As the PSL officially added two new teams ahead of the 2026 season, Akram — who conducted the auction — kept the atmosphere light even as millions were at stake. At one point, spotting a hesitant bidder, the Pakistan great quipped: “Balance toh khatam nahi ho gaya?”, drawing laughter from those present. Several journalists and social media users later identified the potential bidder as representatives of Jazz, Pakistan’s leading telecom service provider, who ultimately did not place a bid.The auction concluded with two successful bids, expanding the PSL to eight teams. OZ Developers, a real estate consortium, secured the Sialkot franchise for Rs 1.85 billion ($6.55 million/INR 58.38 crore), while US-based FKS Group won the Hyderabad team for Rs 1.75 billion ($6.2 million/INR 55.57 crore). Overall, the two franchises fetched $12.75 million (approximately INR 114 crore).The new teams will join the league when the next season begins on March 26.Multan Sultans, meanwhile, will be operated by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the upcoming season before being put up for sale after the PSL concludes in April. Former owner Ali Tareen, who had public differences with the PSL management, was eligible to bid but pulled out at the last moment from a pool of 10 approved bidders.Akram’s presence at the auction came amid recent debate sparked by his comments on league durations. Speaking at a PSL promotional event, the former fast bowler praised the league’s shorter window and took a swipe at longer tournaments.“The best thing about the league is that it is played for only about 34-35 days, maybe a little more next year. It’s not like three months, like the other league. Bacchey bade ho jate hain, woh league khatam hi nahi hoti. Foreign players, when they come to Pakistan, prefer to be here for 35-40 days. More than that – two-and-a-half to three months – is a bit too long for everyone. Even I get bored,” Akram said.He also cited Australia’s Big Bash League as an example of why shorter leagues work better.“Prime example is the BBL. They started off with two-and-a-half months. They realised after four or five years it wasn’t working. Now their duration is about 40 days. That’s it. That’s the beauty of the PSL. Of course, the talent. Everybody overseas, when I talk to them, they talk about bowling in the IPL and other leagues. They say the PSL, as far as talent is concerned, is definitely No. 1 because we have quality, not quantity,” he added.Akram’s comments triggered mixed reactions online, with many fans criticising the comparison — particularly given his long association with the Indian Premier League as both a coach and commentator.

NEW DELHI: West Bengal leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday sent a legal notice to chief minister Mamata Banerjee after she made allegation against him and Union home minister Amit Shah over coal smuggling case.Adhikari demanded Mamata to prove the allegations made by her within 72 hours, adding that failure to do so would compel him to initiate appropriate civil and criminal proceedings for defamation.In a social media post on X, Adhikari said that chief minister’s allegations were made in a desperate attempt to divert attention from the ongoing investigation by Enforcement Directorate.“Today, CM Mamata Banerjee, in a desperate attempt to divert attention from an ongoing ED investigation, made absolutely baseless defamatory allegations against me, linking me to an ‘alleged’ coal scam alongside the Hon’ble Union Home Minister. These reckless statements, laced with personal insults, were made publicly without any shred of evidence. Such unsubstantiated claims not only tarnished my reputation but also undermine the dignity of public discourse,” Adhikari said.“Today, through my Advocate, I have served a Legal Notice demanding that she provide all purported evidence within 72 hours. If she fails to do so, I will pursue appropriate Civil and Criminal actions for Defamation,” he added.This comes after Mamata alleged that Amit Shah and Suvendu Adhikari were involved in the alleged coal scam and claimed that money from the scam was routed to Amit Shah through Adhikari. The chief minister made these remarks while addressing a public gathering amid protests against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid in Kolkata’s I-PAC office on Thursday.In the notice, the leader of opposition termed the chief minister’s statements as “reckless, baseless, and wholly unsubstantiated,” accusing her of making defamatory allegations without producing any evidence.“It has come to the knowledge of my client that on 08.01.2026 and again on 09.01.2026, you have made reckless, baseless, and wholly unsubstantiated allegations against my client by publicly insinuating that my client, along with the Union Home Minister of India, is involved in an alleged coal scam. You have further claimed that you are in possession of evidence in support of such allegations,” the notice read.“On the contrary, my client states that such statements appear to be part of a calculated and sinister design to divert public attention from serious issues concerning you, your family members, and your political party, which are presently engaging public scrutiny…,” it added.This comes after Mamata, while addressing a gathering, said, “You know who is sitting in the Election Commission. He was the Cooperation Department Secretary of Amit Shah. I have no issues with that. If Gyanesh Kumar is vanishing votes, why will I stay quiet? If the voter’s rights are snatched, I will snatch your rights.”“TMC MPs have been dragged mercilessly when they were protesting in Delhi. All the agencies have been grabbed. I challenge them that they came to power in Haryana and Bihar forcefully. In one more state, they come to power forcefully. Now they are trying to do this in Bengal. Who gets the coal scam’s money? Amit Shah gets it. The money goes through Suvendu Adhikari. The money goes through BJP leader Jagannath Chattopadhyay to Suvendu Adhikari. Suvendu Adhikari sends it to Amit Shah,” she added.Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha on Friday held a protest march from Rabindra Sarovar to Deshapriya Park against Mamata over her recent alleged interference in a raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on Kolkata’s I-PAC office on Thursday.

‘Dhurandhar’ has been rampaging at the box office since its release in theaters. Three movies arrived in theaters after that, including James Cameron’s epic ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ but they couldn’t stop the Aditya Dhar-directed film’s impressive run. The movie has crossed Rs 1200 crore at the global box office. And now the ‘Dhurandhar’ fever has taken over the NBA as well. Let’s learn more about it.

‘Dhurandhar’ title song gets played at the NBA match

At the National Basketball Association game, which was hosted in San Francisco, California, the title track of ‘Dhurandhar’ was played during a Bhangra performance. The match was between the Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks. The video went viral quickly on the internet. The clip, shared by the popular dance group Bhangra Empire, showcased the crew grooving to the song in traditional Punjabi attire. The caption of the post read, “Starting our Warriors game performance off with a bang!”

More about ‘Dhurandhar’

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film stars Sanjay Dutt, Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Rakesh Bedi, R Madhavan, and Sara Arjun. The supporting cast includes Danish Pandor, Naseem Mughal, Saumya Tandon, Mohit Mallik, Gaurav Gera, and Naveen Kaushik.The story of the film revolves around Ranveer Singh’s character Hamza, who infiltrates the terror groups of Lyari Town in Pakistan. Akshaye Khanna has played the role of the gang’s leader, Rehman Dakait.The movie has been breaking all box office records since day one in theaters. In India, it has collected over Rs 790 crore. The movie was released in theaters on December 5, 2025, and is still running successfully with no competition.Part two of the espionage thriller is set to arrive in theaters on March 19, 2026. It will clash with Yash’s next project, ‘Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups’. The movie, directed by Geethu Mohandas, also stars Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, Huma Qureshi, Natalie Burn, and Kyle Paul.

Big Bash League 2025-26 heats up with a blockbuster showdown at The Gabba, Brisbane, as the table-topping Brisbane Heat take on a resurgent Sydney Thunder in Match 29. This fixture pits Heat’s batting firepower against Thunder’s spin-heavy attack. With playoff spots on the line, expect a high-octane T20 thriller under Brisbane’s summer sun.

Brisbane Heat enjoy a narrow historical advantage over Sydney Thunder, having won eight of their 15 meetings, with Thunder claiming six and one match ending without a result. The Gabba has been a stronghold for the Heat, where they have emerged victorious in five of seven clashes and remain unbeaten in their last four home outings.

Topping the league charts with a batting average of 32.5, Heat have also been clinical while chasing, winning 75 percent of such matches. David Warner’s return has lifted Thunder, helping them secure three wins in five games, though their struggles on the road persist. Heat currently lead the points table with 14 points from nine matches, while Thunder sit fourth with 10 points from eight games.

BH vs ST, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 10; 10:30 am IST / 5:00 am GMT / 3:00 pm Local
• Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane

BH vs ST: Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 23 | Brisbane Heat won: 14 | Sydney Thunder won: 08 | No result/Tied: 01

Gabba Pitch Report

The Gabba’s pitch for Match 29 in BBL 2025-26 promises a high-scoring spectacle. These drop-in surfaces offer true bounce and lightning-quick outfield, with short straight boundaries (65-70m) favouring aggressive batters—first innings averages hit 178 this season, including Heat’s 214/4 high. Early seam movement aids pacers, but it flattens out for spin in the middle overs. Minimal dew in the 3:00 PM local start keeps bowlers in play. Expect 350+ runs total; teams batting first hold a 60% win rate.

Squads:

Brisbane Heat: Colin Munro, Jack Wildermuth, Matt Renshaw, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Alsop, Max Bryant, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Xavier Bartlett (c), Shaheen Afridi, Liam Haskett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Thomas Balkin, Lachlan Hearne, Ollie Patterson

Sydney Thunder: David Warner (c), Sam Billings, Lockie Ferguson, Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Cameron Bancroft, Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Shadab Khan, Matthew Gilkes, Tanveer Sangha, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Tom Andrews, Ravichandran Ashwin, Blake Nikitaras

Also READ: Ben Dwarshuis, Joel Davies shine as Sydney Sixers pip Melbourne Stars in a low-scoring thriller

BH vs ST, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Brisbane Heat wins the toss and bats first
• Brisbane Heat’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
• Brisbane Heat’s total score: 180-190

Case 2:

• Sydney Thunder wins the toss and bats first
• Sydney Thunder’s powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• Sydney Thunder’s total score: 190-200

Match result: Team batting first to win the contest

Also WATCH: Hassan Khan plucks a screamer to dismiss Moises Henriques in BBL|15

A 50-year-old Dalit woman was killed after she tried to protect her daughter from alleged abductors in Meerut’s Kapsad village on Thursday.

MEERUT: A 50-year-old Dalit woman was killed after she tried to protect her daughter from alleged abductors in Meerut’s Kapsad village on Thursday, triggering political outrage and heightened security in the area.The woman was struck on the head with a sharp weapon when she stepped between her 20-year-old daughter and two men who allegedly attempted to abduct the younger woman. The accused fled with the daughter after attacking the mother, who later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.Police have identified the accused as Paras Som (23) and Sunil Kumar (25), both residents of the same village. An FIR has been registered under relevant Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for murder and abduction, along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.Meerut SSP Vipin Tada said police have intensified the search operation. “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,” he said.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.”How events unfolded

District Magistrate VK Singh said financial assistance has been sanctioned. “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.”Before succumbing to her injuries, the woman gave a statement recounting the assault. “Paras misbehaved with my daughter. When I protested, he started beating and abusing me. He hit my head with a sharp instrument,” she said.The accused remain absconding.Grief simmered in Kapsad village in the Sardhana area on Friday, even as a heavy police force was deployed to maintain law and order. The woman was cremated late in the evening after several hours of negotiations between the family and the administration.Earlier, the family had refused to perform the last rites, demanding the arrest of the accused, strict action against alleged illegal constructions by them, and the safe recovery of the missing daughter.Senior officials, including SSP Vipin Tada, remained present in the village during prolonged talks with the family. “More than ten police teams are working across districts to apprehend the accused and ensure the girl’s safe recovery. Both hail from the same village. We are acting swiftly on all leads,” he said.DM Dr VK Singh said the administration was also considering providing an arms licence to the family due to security concerns and assured them of immediate protection. He added that the law and order situation in the area was peaceful.The case has drawn sharp political reactions. 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.”Samajwadi Party 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.”Former Union minister and ex-MP Sanjeev Balyan, who visited the family, said, “I asked them to have a little patience.”Key points

Samajwadi Party workers also staged a protest at Commissary Park, demanding the girl’s safe recovery and the arrest of the accused, leading to minor scuffles with police.

Mustafizur Rahman (AFP Photo)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday offered its first response to the ongoing controversy surrounding Bangladesh’s request to play its T20 World Cup matches outside India. The BCCI top brass reviewed operations at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and also discussed plans to streamline India U-19 and India A tours going forward, board secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI.Following the meeting, Saikia was asked about Bangladesh approaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) to seek a shift of its T20 World Cup games out of India after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from its roster amid the prevailing relations between the two countries.

Saikia responded: “The meeting was about CoE and other cricketing matters. It’s not our domain to talk about that (as the ICC has the final say on Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup).”The meeting, held in Mumbai, was also attended by BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla and head of cricket at the CoE VVS Laxman. Several key technical positions at the CoE, which became fully operational in April last year, remain vacant, including the roles of head of education and head of sports science.“We assessed the vacancies at CoE and decided to go ahead with the recruitment process soon. There is an acute shortage of technical personnel worldwide, but we are trying to fill the positions at the earliest,” Saikia said.Reviewing the operations at the CoE and outlining the way forward, Saikia added: “We thought it was an appropriate time to review the preparations and activities of CoE.“We are hosting matches on the three grounds there (including the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy). We also talked about how the A tours need to be scheduled going forward.“In certain situations, the A side and senior team are touring together at the same time. We need to ensure that there is no overlap. An A tour is an important supply line of cricketers,” said the cricketer-turned-lawyer from Assam.