Jasprit Bumrah (R) and Temba Bavuma (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has broken his silence on the controversial on-field comment involving India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant during the first Test of the series at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, revealing that both Bumrah and Pant later apologised to him for the remark that sparked widespread debate.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The incident occurred on Day 1 of the match on November 14 when Bumrah believed he had Bavuma LBW and engaged in a discussion with Pant over taking a DRS review after the on-field umpire turned down the appeal. A stump-mic clip of their exchange went viral, with Bumrah appearing to refer to Bavuma as “bauna”, a term often associated with dwarfism and widely perceived as offensive when directed at someone’s stature.

Writing in his ESPNcricinfo column, Bavuma said he was initially unaware of the comment and only learnt about it later through his team’s media manager.“I know from my side there was an incident where they said something in their language about me,” Bavuma wrote. “At the end of the day, two senior players, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, came and apologised.”Bavuma admitted the apology initially puzzled him. “When the apology was made, I was in the dark about what it was about. I hadn’t heard it at the time and I needed to check in with our media manager about it.”

While stressing that such incidents are part of the intensity of elite cricket, Bavuma made it clear that words spoken on the field are not easily erased. “What happens on the field, stays on the field but you don’t forget what is said,” he noted. “You use it as fuel and motivation, but there are no grudges per se.”The South Africa skipper added that high-stakes series against India inevitably bring heightened emotions. “A series against India is always going to be intense, and when it’s heated, it makes it even more of a spectacle and motivates the players further,” he wrote, emphasising that mutual respect between players ultimately remained intact.Bavuma’s comments come in the backdrop of a historic achievement for South Africa, who under his leadership completed a dominant 2-0 Test series whitewash over India on their home soil, their first such feat since 2000. Reflecting on the tour, Bavuma said moments of controversy only underlined how fiercely contested the series was — and how determined his side were to make history.

Australia’s captain Steve Smith. (AP Photo)

Australia are in no rush to lock in their playing XI for the Boxing Day Test, with stand-in captain Steve Smith revealing selectors want another close look at a “quite furry” Melbourne Cricket Ground surface before finalising their pace-heavy attack.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Despite confirming Australia will field an all-pace bowling unit for the fourth Ashes Test, Smith said the exact combination of quicks will only be settled after a final inspection of the wicket on Friday. Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and returning fast bowler Jhye Richardson are vying for the last two bowling spots.

“We’ve landed on a 12, we just want to take a look at the wicket tomorrow,” Smith said. “It’s got about 10mm of grass on it, quite furry, quite green. I dare say it’s going to offer quite a bit, particularly on day one with the weather looking cold and overcast.”Smith added that conditions through the week appear “conducive” for seam bowling, reinforcing Australia’s decision to go without a spinner, even if Nathan Lyon had been available.“If Nathan was available, we’d probably still be having the same conversation,” Smith said. “So it’s certainly nothing to do with Todd Murphy’s skill.”

The delay in naming the XI also comes amid enforced changes. Regular skipper Pat Cummins has been rested for workload management, while Lyon’s hamstring injury has ruled him out for the remainder of the series. Smith returns to captain the side after missing the third Test with an inner-ear issue, saying he is now feeling “100 per cent”.“It was a shame to miss that one,” Smith said. “I was watching from the hotel and wished I could have been out there, but it was the right call at the time.”Smith’s return reshapes the batting order. Usman Khawaja, who made 82 and 40 after a late recall in Adelaide, will drop to No.5, while Alex Carey remains at six following his match-winning century in the Ashes-clinching third Test. Cameron Green is set to bat at seven, edging out Josh Inglis.The bowling focus, however, remains the main talking point. Neser is chasing his first red-ball Test appearance, Doggett offers continuity after Brisbane, and Richardson is closing in on his first Test in four years.“It’s exciting to see Richardson back into the fold,” Smith said. “We know the skills he can possess. When he’s had opportunities at this level, he’s been outstanding.”Australia hold a 3-0 lead in the series, but Smith insisted selection decisions will be dictated purely by conditions, not the scoreboard, as the hosts look to make full use of what could be a lively Boxing Day pitch.Australia XII for fourth Test:

Sachin Tendulkar and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photos)

NEW DELHI: India’s cricket world has found a new talking point, and his name is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. At just 14 years old, the young batter continues to stun fans, experts, and former players with performances that feel almost unreal for his age. His latest heroics in domestic cricket have once again put him firmly in the spotlight.Veteran politician and cricket enthusiast Shashi Tharoor summed up the excitement around the teenager with a bold comparison. Reacting to Sooryavanshi’s latest feat, Tharoor wrote on X, “The last time a fourteen year old showed such prodigious cricketing talent, it was Sachin Tendulkar — and we all know what became of him. What are waiting for? Vaibhav Suryavanshi for India!”Sooryavanshi made headlines on Wednesday after blasting a breathtaking 36-ball century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate league opener for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh at the JSCA Oval Ground. This became the second-fastest century by an Indian in List A cricket, only behind Anmolpreet Singh’s 35-ball ton last season. Globally, it stands as the joint fourth-fastest List A century ever.The young left-hander did not stop there. He raced to 150 in just 54 balls and was finally dismissed for a staggering 190 off 84 deliveries. Bihar piled up a massive 574 for 6 in 50 overs, before bowling Arunachal Pradesh out for 177 to seal a crushing 397-run victory.Earlier this month, Sooryavanshi smashed an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Maharashtra at Eden Gardens. That knock made him the youngest player ever to score a century in the tournament, at just 14 years and 250 days.He also holds the record for the highest score by an Indian in U19 Asia Cup history, scoring 171 off 95 balls against the UAE. The teenager has already scored centuries against Australia U19 and for India A, including a jaw-dropping 144 off 42 balls in the Rising Stars Asia Cup.

Soldiers playing football in No-Man’s Land a year after the Christmas Truce in 1914 (Photo Credit: Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty Images)

On Christmas morning in 1914, something happened that no military plan could have predicted and no weapon could have forced. In the middle of World War I, one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history, soldiers laid down their guns and stepped out of their trenches. And what did they do? They ended up playing football.For a few precious hours, war made way for humanity. This moment, now known as the Christmas Truce, remains one of the most powerful stories ever told about football and peace.

Fought between the Allied Powers, backed by France, Britain, Russia, later joined by the US, Italy, and Japan, and the Central Powers, led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, World War I had erupted in the summer of 1914. Europe was torn apart as nations rushed into battle with confidence and somewhat misplaced optimism. Many soldiers believed the war would be short. “Home by Christmas,” they said.Instead, by December, the war had stalled into a brutal deadlock. Soldiers on both sides were trapped in muddy trenches across Belgium and northern France. Life there was unbearable. Freezing cold, constant shelling, disease, hunger, and fear became daily companions. Young men, many of whom were barely out of school, faced death every hour. Christmas was approaching, but joy felt impossible.

‘Merry Christmas’

On the night of December 24, something strange happened along parts of the Western Front. British soldiers heard singing coming from the German trenches. At first, they suspected a trick. But the tune was unmistakable. The Germans were singing Christmas carols. “Stille Nacht”, which translates to Silent Night in English, floated gently through the cold air. British troops replied with their own songs.Soon, laughter replaced gunfire. Shouts of “Merry Christmas!” crossed no man’s land, the deadly strip of ground that usually meant instant death.

9th January 1915: British and German troops make a Christmas and New Year truce in the trenches of the Western Front. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Against all logic, the blazing sounds of gunfire went silent.As dawn broke on Christmas Day, soldiers cautiously climbed out of their trenches. Hands raised. No weapons. No orders. No one fired.British and German soldiers met in the middle. They shook hands. They smiled awkwardly. They exchanged cigarettes, chocolate, buttons, badges, and even small gifts sent from home.Photographs of loved ones were shown. Stories were shared. For the first time, soldiers saw the faces of the men they had been told to hate. They discovered something shocking. The enemy looked just like them.

As Football became the protagonist

Then came the football. In some places, it was a proper leather football. In others, it was a bundle of rags tied together. It didn’t matter. There were no goalposts, no referee, no rules. Hwever, soldiers marked goals with caps or coats. Their boots were heavy, and the ground was frozen and uneven. But they couldn’t care less.British soldiers kicked the ball with German soldiers. Scores were kept loosely, if at all.

‘Christmas Truce in the Trenches : Friend and Foe Join in a Hare Hunt’. Original Artwork: Drawing by Gilbert Holliday, from a description by an eye witness rifleman. Original Publication: The Graphic. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Some accounts claim the Germans won one match 3–2. Others say the result didn’t matter, because the real victory was simply playing.Soldiers used the calm to recover bodies that had been lying in no man’s land for weeks. Joint burial services were held. Prayers were said together.Men who would soon be ordered to kill each other stood side by side in silence.Many later wrote letters home describing how surreal it felt. One British soldier wrote that it seemed “too wonderful to be real.” Another admitted he struggled afterwards to fire at men he had just shared laughter with.

The return of war

The Christmas Truce was never officially approved. High-ranking officers were furious when they learned what had happened. To them, the truce threatened discipline and the will to fight.Orders were quickly sent down the line. By December 26, the guns roared again. The war resumed its brutal course. Many of the men who played football that day would be killed in the months that followed.For years, the Christmas Truce was pushed aside. Military leaders feared it showed too much humanity in war. Some reports were censored. Others were ignored. But stories have a way of surviving.Letters were found in attics. Diaries were published. Veterans spoke quietly of that day when the war stopped making sense. Slowly, the truth emerged.Football already belonged to everyone in 1914. It was played in England, Germany, France, and beyond. It needed no shared language. No explanation. You just kicked the ball.That simplicity made football powerful. It reminded soldiers of home. Of weekends. Of joy. Of life before the trenches.Football did not end the war. But it proved that hatred was learned, and humanity was natural.

A story that lives on

Today, more than a century later, the Christmas Truce is remembered across the football world. Memorial matches are held. Statues stand near former battlefields. Clubs and fans share the story every December.

Liverpool and Everton scarves adorn a Christmas Truce statue outside a church near the stadium before the English Premier League match in Liverpool. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Because on Christmas Day in 1914, football did something extraordinary. It reminded the world that before we are soldiers, enemies, or nations, we are human beings. And sometimes, a simple game is enough to make us remember that.

Kane Williamson (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: New Zealand Cricket have announced their squads for the upcoming limited-overs series against India as they keep a close eye on preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will commence soon after the India tour. The series will feature three One-Day Internationals followed by a five-match T20I series, starting January 11.

With the T20 World Cup set to be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7, the selectors have used this tour as a key planning step.The five-match T20I series is seen as especially important for the Black Caps before the World Cup. Playing in Indian conditions will help players adjust to slower pitches and quality spin, something they do not face regularly at home. The team management believes this experience will be crucial ahead of the global event.Mitchell Santner will lead the T20I side as he continues his comeback from injury. For the ODI series, Michael Bracewell has been named captain.Several senior players have been recalled for the tour, while a few young faces have also been rewarded for strong recent performances. Jayden Lennox, Kristian Clarke, Bevon Jacobs and Tim Robinson have all been included after impressing in domestic and A-team cricket. Michael Rae, who recently made his Test debut against the West Indies, also finds a place in the squads.Kyle Jamieson returns in both ODI and T20I squads after recovering from injury. Mark Chapman and Matt Henry are also back in the T20I setup, strengthening the bowling and batting units.At the same time, some key players have been rested or ruled out to manage workloads. Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Jacob Duffy, Will O’Rourke and Blair Tickner will miss the tour due to injury concerns or workload management. New Zealand are balancing their schedule carefully as they also prepare for the World Test Championship cycle.NZ T20I Squad v India: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish SodhiNZ ODI Squad v India: Michael Bracewell (c), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young

Naseem Shah represents Desert Vipers in the fourth season of the ILT20 in the UAE. (Image: Creimas)

New Delhi: In an era where T20 cricket is increasingly packaged as boundary-fuelled entertainment, fast bowlers often feel like collateral damage — judged harshly by numbers, deprived of friendly conditions, and discarded quickly when the spotlight shifts elsewhere.For someone like Naseem Shah, the challenge has been even more layered. Still only 22 years old, Naseem has already lived through the full cycle of modern cricket: early stardom, serious injuries, form slumps, relentless scrutiny from fans, and pointed criticism from former players who know the game all too well.

Yet, as the fourth season of the ILT20 unfolds, the fast bowler finds himself in a happier place. Representing the Desert Vipers, Naseem has been part of a dominant start to the season, with the team surging towards the playoffs on the back of six straight wins.In this conversation, he speaks candidly about survival as a fast bowler in batter-friendly cricket, the grind of injury comebacks, and learning to live with criticism in a sport that never truly switches off.EXCERPTS:​​Q. When you made your international debut, you were very young. And you got exposure very quickly. You were in a difficult position. You played in high-pressure moments. Thinking about it today, do you consider the early exposure you got playing in high-pressure situations to be a good thing or a bad thing? How do you see it as a cricketer today?Naseem: I don’t think about my early career. I don’t have any good or bad memories. But life goes on like this. Day by day, as I always say, you learn something. There is a difference between then and now. You get a lot of experience while playing.As I said, you don’t know a lot of things in the early stages. If you go 2-3 years back, you will get a lot of positive changes. And after 2 years, you will realise that life goes on like this. You get experience while playing. You get better and better. My advice is that if you are not a professional player, you can’t relax. You can’t say that I am done, I have learned everything, I am a professional player. You have to learn something until you play the last ball of your career. You have to bring some improvement in yourself. This is what is going on right now. That’s why we play.

Naseem Shah has taken five wickets from five matches played in the ILT20. (Image: Creimas)

​​​Q. You have seen a lot of injuries in your career. There have been a lot of setbacks. It is very difficult for any professional cricketer. But it is, maybe, even more difficult for a bowler to bring back the rhythm. To bring back the match consistency. To understand what your best is. How difficult is it to restore it? And how much have you learned from your injuries?Naseem: It is exactly like this. When you feel that you are about to play your best cricket. You get consistency in your form. And when you have an injury there, it is a very difficult time. Because injuries take you completely back.First you have to fight the injury, then heal that injury. Then you have to bring back that fitness.And then performance is totally different. What you play on the ground is totally different. For that you need matches. To bring back that rhythm. I don’t think there’s any bowler who comes back after an injury and does the same performance that he was doing.It is obviously a difficult time. But as a player you know that these things have to come in your life. As a fast bowler you have to keep these things in mind. And keep fighting till you want to play cricket.Honestly speaking, with injuries, your cricket completely stops. So you learn a lot of things. You get good people at that time. You are mentally strong. You fight a lot. You come out of the stage.So this process, the rehab as well, you learn a lot of things. So as a fast bowler you can’t escape injuries. Mostly the fans who watch cricket, they don’t have the awareness that a dive injury and a sudden injury or an injury due to fitness – they are totally different. Different things.So even the world’s fittest players can’t escape that injury. No matter how fit you are. Injuries have to come in your life. So you have to be mentally prepared for that. Because if you get injured. The injury counts the same whether you’re fit or not.When you come out of rehab, a lot of things are better in cricket. When you come back to your peak, you become very strong.

​​​Q. One thing I wanted to understand from a bowler’s perspective. What is more difficult to recover from: an injury or a lack of form?Naseem: This is a very easy question and I think anyone will agree – out of form. If you play one good inning, all your things will be the same again.Out of form, in fast bowlers, unlike in batters, it depends on the rhythm. And it depends more on fitness. Performance comes. Batters are a little different when they are out of form. Because they have the option of one ball. If a good ball comes, they get out.So I think both are a little different. But coming from an injury. It is totally different. It is very difficult to come back to that rhythm.When you’re out of form, all your things are with you. Your fitness is with you. You’re just one inning away from getting things back.Q. In the last few years, since the start of T20 leagues, there has been a lot of preference by pitch curators, organisers, teams that batters get more preference. Everyone wants more runs as it is more entertainment. How does a bowler feel that everything is going in favour of the batter?Naseem: It feels very bad. Very bad. Nowadays, people want entertainment. And it is being delivered to them. In such cricket, as a fast bowler, you have to be smart and give your best performances.When there are matches of 140, 150, 160 runs, it may look boring, but bowlers get a lot of support. Nowadays, in T20 cricket, an economy rate under 9 is considered best, but it isn’t always appreciated.A batter looks beautiful, they hit shots, they score runs. He looks good. But if a bowler goes at an economy rate of 8.5 in a T20, on a pitch which is worth 180, 190, 200 runs … the coaches appreciate this because they have an idea. Considering how fast cricket is, these things matter. Bowlers have to work to get out of this situation and give his best performance. He does his best bowling.

Naseem Shah has played 20 Tests, 34 ODIs and 33 T20Is for Pakistan. (Image: Creimas)

​Q. For Indian and Pakistani players, when you are bowling, there is massive expectation. Especially if it is an India vs Pakistan match. But there is expectation. How do you ignore it or keep it aside? How do you stay in the present?Naseem: If you see, fans from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are very involved. You can say, they are very excited. They expect from you. They respect you. But there is pressure. It is fun. The whole nation is expecting of you. That you will do well. And if you do not do well, then there are plenty of memes also. So, there are both things and it has its own fun.Expectation is a good thing. But you have to be ready for this. If you see the best players in the world, their performance may be better, but our fans appreciate our performances also. And we get criticised a lot as well. So there’s both things.You just have to be mentally ready. Now it is a habit. We know that our people love cricket a lot, they will give us love. And they will tell us if we do not do well.

Naseem Shah in action during the fourth season of the ILT20. (Image: Creimas)

​​Q. How difficult and different does it feel to get criticised by a fan versus a former player? What is the difference between the two, especially if you feel that the criticism is unfair?Naseem: When fans do it, you should not take it to heart. Some cricket-loving fans have never held a cricket ball or visited a cricket ground… So you do not take it to heart. They are only expressing their emotions. So you do not take it to heart.But a former cricketer, who has played cricket all their life, if he talks about cricket. You learn from him. It is a good thing. You take what you like. But if the criticism is unfair, if it is personal… Or if you feel it is not about cricket, it is about something else. It happens.But for the rest of the fans, these days everyone has a phone. Someone has to say something. You cannot control that. People turn on their cameras and have things to say.

Poll

What do you think is more difficult for a fast bowler to recover from?

You have to understand that if you start to care about everything, you are not a strong cricketer. Because you cannot stop anyone. You have to think, whether the person who is saying these things, if he has ever played in a pressure situation.They are crazy about cricket, they love cricket. When I was young, I used to do it too. But there should be fair criticism. And as a professional, you have to tolerate that.