NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians made light work of Delhi Capitals on Saturday as they put in a complete team performance to register a comfortable 50-run win in the Women’s Premier League. After doing well with the bat, MI’s bowlers stepped up and ensured there were no late scares.Batting first, Mumbai Indians were powered by brilliant unbeaten half-centuries from Nat Sciver-Brunt and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Sciver-Brunt scored 70 off 46 balls. On the other hand, Harmanpreet smashed an unbeaten 74 from just 42 deliveries.

The experienced duo guided MI to a strong total of 195 for 4, bouncing back after a narrow loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru the previous day.Mumbai had a shaky start when Amelia Kerr was dismissed on the very first ball. Kerr’s poor run with the bat continued as she edged a wide delivery soon after. However, Sciver-Brunt took control immediately and steadied the innings. She played with great confidence, finding the gaps regularly and punishing loose balls. Her 49-run stand with opener Gunalan Kamalini helped MI regain momentum.Kamalini played her part before falling to a smart delivery from young pacer Nandani Sharma. From there on, Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet took charge. The pair added 66 runs for the third wicket, forming the backbone of Mumbai’s innings. Sciver-Brunt reached her half-century in just 32 balls, striking 13 boundaries in total. Harmanpreet, equally aggressive, hit eight fours and three sixes, taking over the scoring once Sciver-Brunt was dismissed.Chasing 196, Delhi Capitals never really got going. Nicola Carey delivered the decisive blows in the middle overs. She removed dangerous batters Shafali Verma and Laura Wolvaardt in the same over, reducing DC to 33 for 3.The situation worsened quickly as Delhi slumped to 46 for 5 inside seven overs.Though Chinelle Henry fought back with a spirited 56 off 33 balls, the target was always out of reach. Nat Sciver-Brunt also made an impact with the ball, picking up two wickets, while Amelia Kerr redeemed herself by taking 3 for 24.Led by India’s World Cup hero Jemimah Rodrigues for the first time, Delhi were eventually bowled out for 145 in 19 overs, as Mumbai Indians returned to winning ways with a dominant all-round display.

NEW DELHI: All India Football Federation (AIFF) has asked Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to send the details of the venues where they plan to play their home matches by Monday noon so that it can start working on the schedule of the delayed season which is set to start on February 14.On Tuesday, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the ISL, which was on pause due to the lack of a commercial partner, will start on February 14 with all the 14 clubs taking part.

The top-tier ISL will feature 91 matches on a home-and-away basis, assuming that all the 14 clubs are taking part.In a letter written to the clubs, the AIFF thanked the clubs for “agreeing to participate in principle in the Indian Super League”.“We would like to reiterate the AIFF’s proposal to organise the 2025-26 season of the ISL with co-operation from the participating clubs,” the AIFF said in the letter from its Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan.“In order to assist AIFF finalise broadcast partners, commercial rights partners and the fixtures for the upcoming season, we request you to confirm the details of the venue that you will play your home matches at, not later than 12 noon on 12 January 2026.”The AIFF said “upon receiving confirmation and receipt of the deposit”, it will share the draft of the framework for the governance of ISL, the draft RFPs to appoint broadcast and commercial rights partners for the 2025-26 season, seek exemption from the AFC (regarding ACL 2 slots), start work on fixtures and other allied matters, and start preparation of participation agreements to be entered with the clubs.“AIFF will also take best efforts to co-ordinate with competent authorities at venue (s), to enable seamless organisation of the upcoming season of the ISL. AIFF is also committed to liaising with the Asian Football Confederation and seeking the necessary exemptions for the upcoming season.”Regarding the financial part of the league, the AIFF said, “The 2025-26 season of the ISL is proposed to be held on a total budget of INR Twenty Four Crores Twenty Six Lakhs Seventy Four Thousand (INR 24,26,74,000/-) with an initial contribution of INR Nine Crores Seventy Seven Lakh Forty Thousand (INR 9,77,40,000/-) from the AIFF and a contribution of INR One Crore (INR 1,00,00,000/-) each from the participating clubs.“We would like to reassure you that the AIFF is in parallel taking all necessary steps to put the proposal into effect, in letter and spirit.”The AIFF had earlier said that it’s willing to accept the participation fee of Rs 1 crore per club in instalments up to June 2026, if the clubs are not able to pay immediately.

NEW DELHI: Indian fast bowler Umran Malik, often compared with Pakistan’s legendary Shoaib Akhtar for his raw pace, has been left out of Jammu and Kashmir’s squad for the Ranji Trophy preparatory camp in Pondicherry. The decision has surprised many fans, especially given Malik’s experience at the international level. Picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 75 lakh at the IPL 2025 auction and retained this year, the pacer has represented India in 10 ODIs and eight T20Is, but his recent domestic form has not been convincing enough for selection.

Umran was part of Jammu and Kashmir’s squad for the first half of the Ranji Trophy season. However, he featured in only one match, against Rajasthan in Srinagar, where he failed to take a wicket. His struggles continued in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he played five matches and picked up six wickets. Despite that, Malik was dropped from the squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has now also missed out on the Ranji Trophy preparatory camp. The reason for the snub, however, is still unknown.“To prepare the J&K Team for the tournament & acclimatise the team, the Management has decided to send its team to Pondicherry. The players and Members of Support staff of the team will travel directly to Chennai under the arrangements of JKCA on 16th January, 2026 from their respective locations,” wrote the JKCA in a statement.“The team will then travel in the Bus from Chennai to Pondicherry arranged by the Cricket Association of Pondicherry. No individual movement from Chennai to Pondicherry is allowed.”He is not the only notable omission. Senior opener Qamran Iqbal, who scored a memorable century in Jammu and Kashmir’s famous Ranji Trophy win over Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, has also been left out. In contrast, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has included Dikshant Kundal and Kawalpreet Singh, while Umar Nazir and Shubham Pundir have been recalled to the squad.Jammu and Kashmir will begin the second phase of their Ranji Trophy campaign against Pondicherry at the Siechem Stadium from January 22 to 25. They will then face Himachal Pradesh from January 29 to February 1 at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cricket Stadium in Nadaun. Head coach Ajay Sharma is set to join the team on January 17.Jammu and Kashmir are currently placed second in Elite Group D with 20 points from five matches, just behind table-toppers Mumbai. The knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy will be played from February 6 to 28.

UP Warriorz captain Meg Lanning moved past Ellyse Perry to become the second-highest run-scorer in Women’s Premier League history during her team’s match against Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.Phoebe Litchfield’s aggressive 78 off 40 balls could not prevent UP Warriorz from going down as Gujarat Giants registered a 10-run win in a high-scoring Women’s Premier League (WPL) match.

In the match, Lanning crossed Perry’s tally of 972 runs after scoring 30 off 27 balls. She now has 981 runs in the tournament and is 50 runs behind Mumbai Indians all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who leads the list with 1,031 runs following the opening match of WPL 2026.Sciver-Brunt remains the only player to score more than 1,000 runs in the WPL. Her tally was built on a strong 2025 season, during which she became the first cricketer to score over 500 runs in a single WPL edition. She achieved that feat during Mumbai Indians’ title-winning campaign.The earlier record for most runs in a single WPL season was held by Ellyse Perry, who scored 347 runs in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning 2024 season.With the 2026 season underway, Lanning and Sciver-Brunt are set to compete for the top spot on the all-time WPL run-scoring list.Lanning has been among the more consistent batters in the tournament. She represented Delhi Capitals in the first three WPL seasons, scoring 952 runs in 27 matches and helping the team reach the final on each occasion. Ahead of WPL 2026, Delhi Capitals released her, after which she was signed by UP Warriorz and named captain for the season.Perry finished her third WPL season with 972 runs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. She played a key role in RCB’s title win in 2024. Although retained ahead of WPL 2026, Perry withdrew from the tournament due to personal reasons.The Women’s Premier League 2026 started on January 9 and will conclude on February 5. The final is scheduled to be held at the BCA Stadium (Kotambi) in Vadodara.

Mumbai Indians Women vs Delhi Capitals Women, WPL Live Score: Delhi Capitals step into the Women’s Premier League 2026 spotlight with a new captain at the helm and familiar ambitions driving them forward.

Jemimah Rodrigues, one of Indian cricket’s brightest stars, has been handed the leadership role after the franchise decided to move on from Australian great Meg Lanning, who captained the side for the first three seasons.

For Jemimah, the responsibility comes with both excitement and reflection, especially given Lanning’s deep imprint on the team’s culture.

“I met Meg Lanning, and it felt weird to see her wearing the yellow jersey of the UP Warriorz. I have to say the impact Meg had on our franchise, the Delhi Capitals, and the standards and culture she set was huge. I learned so much from her. I even picked her brain about captaincy,” said Jemimah, acknowledging the influence of her predecessor.

The 24-year-old, who starred in India’s ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph with a memorable century against Australia in the semi-finals, believes leadership brings out the best in her. Drawing confidence from her domestic captaincy experience, she is ready to guide a side that has reached the WPL final in every edition so far.

“This new role as captain is exciting. I am also a little nervous because it is new. But I have led my domestic side for a while. I love leading because that extra responsibility brings out my best. My message to the Delhi Capitals is the same. We have played amazing cricket and have an amazing support staff. We just keep working hard and doing the right things, and I know things will fall into place. That is our energy,” Jemimah added.

Delhi Capitals open their campaign with a high-voltage clash against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai — a reminder of past finals heartbreaks and a chance to set the tone for 2026.

Head coach Jonathan Batty expressed optimism about the squad’s makeup and preparation following a productive pre-season camp in Goa.

“It’s really nice to have a lot of familiar faces back in the squad from the last few years, and at the same time, it’s been great to bring in some fresh faces who add a new dynamic to the team,” Batty said.

He added, “It’s been a fantastic preparation period… everything feels really positive, and we’re raring to go.”

With balance, belief and a new leader, Delhi Capitals will once again chase the one prize that has narrowly eluded them — the WPL title.

NEW DELHI: 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again underlined why he is being spoken about as a generational batting talent after producing a breathtaking knock in India U19’s World Cup warm-up match against Scotland. In a game designed primarily for preparation rather than results, Sooryavanshi ensured the focus stayed firmly on him with a scintillating 96 off just 50 deliveries, setting the tone for India’s massive total of 374/8.

Opening the batting after Scotland won the toss and opted to bowl, the left-hander wasted little time in asserting dominance. From the moment he settled in, Sooryavanshi displayed an attacking range well beyond his years.With a nice blend of power-hitting and precision batting, his innings was packed with intent as he found nine 4s. Seven towering sixes showcased his remarkable bat speed and confidence against both pace and spin.Watch:What also stood out was not just the strike rate of 192, but the ease with which the runs flowed from the Bihar-born boy’s bat. Scotland’s bowlers tried varying their lengths and pace, yet Sooryavanshi adapted instantly, using the depth of the crease and his strong bottom hand to punish anything marginally off line. His partnership with Aaron George helped India race past the 140-run mark inside 17 overs.Despite falling four runs short of a century, caught behind while attempting another attacking stroke, Sooryavanshi’s job was well and truly done. His dismissal did little to dampen the impression he left. Riding on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive 96 at the top, India U19 piled up a mammoth 374/8 in their 50 overs. The 14-year-old’s blistering start allowed the middle order to bat with freedom, as Aaron George (61), Vihaan Malhotra (77) and Abhigyan Kundu (55) all chipped in with half-centuries.

NAVI MUMBAI: India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru pace-bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been ruled out for at least two weeks of the ongoing Women’s Premier League due to a hamstring injury.The 26-year-old, who last played a competitive game in the T20 World Cup in October 2024, was brought for Rs 85 lakh during the Women’s Premier League auction in November last year, and the WPL was supposed to be her comeback.

“Pooja Vastrakar was not available for selection (against Mumbai Indians),” , the franchise’s head coach Malolan Rangarajan said after the team’s opening match here on Friday.“Two weeks prior to her release from the CoE (Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru), she unfortunately tweaked her hamstring. The information that we have is that she will be there for two weeks more.“Earlier, she was there (at the CoE) for her shoulder, now she has a hamstring issue. It’s a week by week process. So let’s see where she is at.”RCB, riding on an all-round display by South African stalwart Nadine de Klerk, defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians by three wickets in a last-ball thriller on Friday.De Klerk returned with excellent bowling figures of 4/26 and then blasted 63 off 44 to chase down a target of 155.In absence of Pooja, RCB handed the responsibility of bowling to new recruits — England left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, Arundhati Reddy and de Klerk as they managed to keep the opponents to 154-6.Chasing the total, RCB were in a spot of bother when they were reduced to 65 for 5 but de Klerk successfully anchored the chase.“The value of all-rounders came to the fore. My blood pressure, everything is okay. I’ve gotten used to this. I’ve been with RCB for six years. Very good to be on the winning side,” Rangarajan said.Heaping praise on de Klerk, the coach said: “Nadine was very clear with her plan, how she was going to approach the next 11 overs. That’s the first time I met her inside [at the strategic time out] was over (number) nine.“She wanted to chase down upwards of eight (runs per over) in the last four and then there was a plan of how to approach the next two overs in blocks. Aru (Reddy) also did a very, very good job (with the bat, scoring 20 off 25 in a sixth-wicket partnership of 52 off 51).”For Mumbai Indians, Hayley Matthews missed out as she is recovering from a shoulder injury, head coach Lisa Keightley said.“Unfortunately, her shoulder isn’t great. While training, she got a slight strain and she’s really close (to play),” Keightley said.“It was a bit too close for her to play tonight. We will see how she goes tomorrow, and if she’s fit for tomorrow’s game. But she is really close.”The defending champions Mumbai Indians will face Delhi Capitals on Saturday at the DY Patil Stadium, while RCB will face UP Warriorz Women on Monday.

NEW DELHI: American Grandmaster Wesley So clarified the confusion around his controversial game against R Praggnanandhaa at the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid. He said that the draw was suggested by him, not by the arbiters. Explaining the tense moment on Friday, So wrote on X: “Regarding my game with Pragg yesterday, I was the one who proposed to draw the game, not the arbiters. Things happened so fast and everyone did what seems best at the moment. Criticizing the arbiters are uncalled for. Big congrats to Nihal Sarin for dominating the rapid!”

The incident took place on Thursday during Day 2 of the tournament in Kolkata. Round 6 suddenly became the centre of attention due to a dramatic turn of events. Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa was low on time and had only one second left on his clock. He pushed a pawn close to promotion but quickly realised he did not have enough time to complete the move and replace it with a new queen.As his time was about to expire, Pragg stopped the clock and asked for help. Many commentators felt Wesley So would win the game on time. However, after a discussion, the arbiters declared the game a draw. This decision sparked strong debate across the chess world.Renowned chess arbiter Chris Bird openly criticised the ruling. On X, he wrote: “Should have been ruled a loss. “6.11.2 A player may pause the chessclock only in order to seek the arbiter’s assistance, for example when promotion has taken place and the piece required is not available.” No promotion actually took place so this is not relevant here.”Young Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin won the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid title on Saturday. His victory came just a day after the passing of his maternal grandfather, who had introduced him to the game of 64 squares.Nihal secured the Open title in Round 9 with a calm draw against five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. He finished first with 6.5 points. Anand came second with six points, while Arjun Erigaisi finished third with five points.After his win, Nihal said: “Yesterday night I got the news that my maternal grandfather who taught me chess, had passed away. I would like to dedicate this tournament victory to him,”In the women’s section, Russia’s Kateryna Lagno won the title with 6.5 points. Aleksandra Goryachkina finished second, while 2025 Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh claimed third place.

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