TOI correspondent from London: A Hindu couple have removed their eight-year-old son from a London primary school saying he was discriminated against for his religion and challenged for wearing the tilak-chandlo.The boy was a pupil at Vicar’s Green Primary School in Alperton where staff told him the tilak-chandlo violated the uniform code, which does not allow “skin marks”, and he was reportedly asked to “explain and justify” his religious practice.He was allegedly removed from positions of responsibility within the school “solely because of his religious practice” and “monitored” during break times. When Hindu parents made attempts to educate the headteacher and school governors, they “challenged and questioned Hindu practices, behaving as though they possessed a greater understanding of the faith”, a spokesperson for INSIGHT UK, an advocacy body for British Hindus, said. INSIGHT wrote to the school on Sunday claiming what the school had done was a breach of the Equality Act. The parents removed their son from the school last week.“The school claimed the tilak-chandlo wasn’t a mandatory practice in Hinduism. In our letter we have quoted from various Hindu scriptures pointing out it is an integral part of Hinduism, especially for certain sects,” the spokesperson said, adding calling the tilak-chandlo a “skin mark” was “deeply offensive.”Three Hindu siblings left the same school earlier because of religious discrimination, INSIGHT claimed.The school, for pupils aged three to 11, was judged outstanding by Ofsted in 2024.A school spokesperson said: “We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive school with pupils with more than 50 language backgrounds and a significant number who are Hindu. Our longstanding school policy asks pupils not to wear visible skin markings, including religious ones. We met with the parents of a pupil who was wearing a tilak-chandlo on their forehead to discuss the matter sensitively and sought to understand the reason for it. We fully recognised the family’s religious beliefs and, in a spirit of conciliation, we offered a reasonable compromise by making an exception to our policy so the symbol could be worn on a less prominent part of the body. This was, unfortunately, rejected by the pupil’s parents. We have always approached these discussions respectfully.”The Hindu Council UK is drafting a letter to a separate primary school in Kent where a Sikh girl is being threatened with exclusion for wearing a nose stud and a kada.

In a WPL 2026 clash at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues led from the front to secure a massive 7-wicket victory over the defending champions, Mumbai Indians. Chasing a target of 155, Rodrigues anchored the chase with a composed and unbeaten 51 off 38 balls, guiding her team home with eight balls to spare.

This crucial win not only revitalizes Delhi’s campaign after a shaky start to the season but also hands Mumbai their third consecutive defeat in WPL 2026. After a dominant opening week, the champions now find themselves in a mid-season slump, struggling to find the clinical edge that defined their title-winning run last year. The victory was punctuated by a thunderous finish from Marizanne Kapp, who launched a massive six to seal the points in style.

Captain Jemimah Rodrigues leads the way as Delhi Capitals secure dominant 7-wicket win

Rodrigues proved why she was entrusted with the captaincy this season, delivering a Player of the Match performance to down the mighty Mumbai. Chasing 155, the Capitals got off to a blistering start thanks to Shafali Verma (29) and Lizelle Lee (46), but it was Rodrigues who provided the necessary stability as the chase entered its final stages. Batting with surgical precision, she reached her half-century in style with a boundary off Nat Sciver-Brunt, keeping the required rate well under control.

The ultimate exclamation point came in the 19th over; with just a few runs needed, Kapp showcased her raw power by clearing the boundary with a colossal six off Sciver-Brunt to end the game. This finishing act by Kapp not only secured the two points but also served as a massive confidence booster for a Delhi side that had been struggling for consistency. By the time the ball disappeared into the stands, Delhi had effectively reset their season, proving they can outmuscle the most successful franchise in the tournament’s history.

Also READ: Meet 16-year-old Deeya Yadav: WPL’s youngest-ever debutant fondly known as ‘Chhoti Shafali’

Mumbai Indians suffer third straight defeat as top order falters and bowling woes deepen 

For the first time in WPL history, the Mumbai are facing a crisis of confidence in their bowling department after falling to their third defeat on the trot. Despite a fighting 66 from Sciver-Brunt and a late cameo from captain Harmanpreet Kaur (41), Mumbai’s total of 154/5 proved inadequate against a relentless Delhi top order. The primary issue remains the lack of penetration in the middle overs; while Shabnim Ismail provided her usual pace, the rest of the attack struggled to build pressure or find breakthroughs.

Hayley Matthews, usually the trump card for Mumbai, found it difficult to contain Rodrigues, while debutant Vaishnavi Sharma showed promise but couldn’t stem the flow of runs during the powerplay. The most alarming trend for Mumbai is their death bowling, which was exposed yet again as Sciver-Brunt conceded 14 runs in the 19th over, culminating in Kapp’s match-winning six. With their frontline bowlers failing to defend competitive totals in three successive games, Harmanpreet now faces the daunting task of reinventing her bowling strategy before Mumbai’s playoff hopes slip away entirely.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Jemimah Rodrigues, take a bow! What a knock in the run chase; the gap-finding, unorthodox shots, and brilliant running between the wickets. 😍

It was a treat to watch.

— Bhawana (@cricbhawana) January 20, 2026

Jemimah played a Captain’s knock after a bad run in the previous 4 games…

Now all 4 teams are tied up with 4 pts just that MI have played one more game…. 2nd and 3rd spot fight is going to be fun

— arfan (@Im__Arfan) January 20, 2026

Captain Jemimah Rodrigues’s half-century powers DC to their second win, handing Mumbai Indians a third straight loss. pic.twitter.com/aUJWpphm8V

— RCBIANS OFFICIAL (@RcbianOfficial) January 20, 2026

At this stage, @mipaltan is almost out of this season, and only a miracle run can change thing !🤐

This is a wake-up call for Mumbai Indians. If changes are delayed, the season will officially be over.🤧#MumbaiIndians #DCvMI #WPL2026 #TATAWPL pic.twitter.com/NZqOQvBS2c

— Aneesh (@Aneesh_98) January 20, 2026

The picture says it all! 👍💙 pic.twitter.com/pcxVKtCZDf

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) January 20, 2026

Mumbai Indians has the best resources but this season they haven’t been able to figure out a working and stable team combination. The team looked better under Charlotte Edwards in terms of clarity of thought. #WPL2026

— DHRUV (@dhruvKT38) January 20, 2026

Tough times to be a MI fan 💔

– MI Emirates lost the Final
– MI Cape Town finished at Last place
– MI Women have now lost 3 consecutive matches*

Not sure what else awaits us as MI fans in the upcoming IPL, MLC, and The Hundred seasons 🥲#WPL2026

— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) January 20, 2026

UPW had the best opportunity for their NRR to get better against MI !! With all 4 teams having 4 points each NRR will definitely come in place for the qualification!! WPL is finally getting a thriller of a season this time… hopefully we get a new champion as well !!#wpl2026

— kartik_trav62 (@headyy62) January 20, 2026

Nat Sciver Brunt is pretty useless with the ball.

Mumbai Indians women certainly finishing outside top 3.

Only positive this season is the signing of cutie Vaishnavi Sharma#WPL2026

— Dave (@AFC_Dev17) January 20, 2026

Captain Jemimah Rodrigues bags player of the match award 🙌#DCvsMI #WPL2026 pic.twitter.com/aKR0PjNYI4

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) January 20, 2026

Also READ: Shreyanka Patil returns as India Women name white ball squads for Australia tour

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

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The memories of January 15, 2023, remain deeply etched into the fabric of Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium. Long after the floodlights dimmed and the crowd dispersed, the echoes of thunderous sixes, crisp boundaries and deafening cheers seemed to linger in the humid Kerala air. For everyone present that night — fans, players, officials — it was an experience that felt historic even as it unfolded.India had already sealed the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka by winning the opening two games. The final encounter was meant to be a formality, an opportunity to complete a clean sweep. Few, however, could have predicted that the contest would turn into one of the most one-sided matches in the history of the format, producing a record that would stand tall for years.

Batting first, India piled on a colossal 390 runs, a total built almost entirely on the brilliance of Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill. The duo stitched together a monumental partnership, scoring 282 runs between them and completely flattening a Sri Lankan bowling attack that had no answers. Kohli’s masterclass and Gill’s elegance transformed what was expected to be a competitive total into a near-impossible chase.Sri Lanka’s response was nothing short of catastrophic. Under relentless pressure, they folded for a mere 73, with only three batters managing to reach double figures. India’s 317-run victory became the biggest margin of victory in ODI history — a record that would remain intact for two years before England eclipsed it.How the India vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI unfolded:India completed a flawless 3-0 series triumph by dismantling Sri Lanka in the final ODI, delivering a crushing 317-run defeat that rewrote the record books.On a flat surface that offered little for bowlers, Kohli produced yet another statement innings, registering his 46th ODI century. At the other end, Gill continued his meteoric rise, reinforcing his credentials as India’s long-term opening option with his second hundred. Their dominance propelled India to a formidable 390/5, a score that left Sri Lanka staring at a mountain far too steep to climb.BIGGEST ODI WINS (BY RUNS)

What followed was a total collapse. Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 73 runs inside 22 overs — their fourth-lowest total in ODIs. Mohammed Siraj led the charge with the ball, exploiting movement and seam to rip through the top order. His spell of 4 for 32 was the best of his ODI career. Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav provided excellent support, picking up two wickets apiece and maintaining relentless pressure.Siraj struck early, drawing Avishka Fernando into edging a delivery straight to first slip. In his next over, he unleashed a wobble-seam ball that forced Kusal Mendis to nick behind to the wicketkeeper. Shami then joined the act, inducing Charith Asalanka into mistiming a shot to backward point.The carnage continued as Siraj picked up his third wicket when Nuwanidu Fernando chopped an outswinger onto his stumps. In the final over of the powerplay, he produced another wobble-seam delivery that jagged back in to uproot Wanindu Hasaranga’s off stump.With half the side back in the dressing room, panic spread through the Sri Lankan camp. That nervousness resulted in a bizarre run-out, with Chamika Karunaratne caught out of his crease after a defensive shot, allowing Siraj to hit the stumps directly at the striker’s end.Kuldeep then took charge in the middle overs, luring Dasun Shanaka forward before beating him through the gate. Dunith Wellalage, who came in as a concussion substitute after a collision while fielding, lasted briefly before chipping a simple catch to point off Shami.With injuries reducing Sri Lanka’s resistance further, Kuldeep wrapped up the innings by knocking over Lahiru Kumara, sealing a staggering victory. Kohli’s unbeaten 166 off 110 balls earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.Rohit the captain marvelWhen discussing the biggest ODI wins by margin of runs, India feature twice in the top five — a remarkable achievement made even more special by the fact that both victories came under Rohit Sharma’s leadership.After orchestrating the historic win against Sri Lanka in January 2023, Rohit etched his name deeper into cricketing folklore just ten months later. During the ICC World Cup in November 2023, India once again turned Sri Lanka into their victims, hammering them by 302 runs in a high-stakes tournament clash.That World Cup encounter at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was equally ruthless. Siraj, Shami and Jasprit Bumrah tore through Sri Lanka’s batting line-up, bundling them out for just 55 and sealing India’s seventh straight win of the tournament. The result confirmed India’s place in the semi-finals and underlined their dominance.Chasing 358, Sri Lanka had no response to India’s pace battery. Shami, already in sensational form after nine wickets against New Zealand and England, added another five to his tally. The top order collapsed in stunning fashion, with the first five scores reading like binary code: 0, 0, 1, 0, 1.By the time Shami removed the seventh and eighth batters for ducks, Sri Lanka were on the brink of registering the lowest ODI total ever. They were eventually dismissed in 19.4 overs, as India completed the fourth-biggest ODI win in history. Shami’s figures of 5 for 18 also made him India’s leading wicket-taker in World Cup history.It marked the third instance in 2023 where India dismissed Sri Lanka for under 100 in ODIs — and their second victory by a margin exceeding 300 runs in the same year — further cementing Rohit’s era as one defined by dominance and record-shattering performances.