Swastik Samal in Ranji Trophy and Sanju Samson (PTI Photo)

Swastik Samal on Wednesday produced an awe-inspiring innings to headline Odisha’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 opener. Stamping his authority with a stunning double century for Odisha against Saurashtra, the 25-year-old opener smashed 212 runs. Playing at the KSCA Cricket Ground, the batter came up with a performance that will be remembered for a long time.

Odisha were put in to bat first after Saurashtra skipper Harvik Desai won the toss. The start was far from ideal. Early wickets fell quickly, and Odisha were struggling at 59 for 3 inside the first 12 overs. At that stage, the pressure was firmly on the batting side, and a big total looked unlikely.That is when Swastik Samal took charge. Calm under pressure, he decided to build his innings brick by brick. He began cautiously but soon played himself in as the youngster found gaps rather than forcing shots. His confidence grew with every over, and soon he was batting with complete control. Samal reached his half-century in 53 balls and brought up his maiden List A hundred in 104 deliveries.The turning point of the innings was the partnership between Samal and Odisha captain Biplab Samantray. The pair added a huge 261 runs for the fourth wicket. Samantray played an excellent supporting role, having amassed a quick 100 off 91 balls while hitting seven fours and three sixes. Together, they dismantled the Saurashtra bowling attack.His final tally of 212 runs included 21 fours and eight sixes. He was eventually dismissed in the final over, but by then the damage had been done. Odisha finished with an imposing 345 for 6 in their 50 overs.It was his first-ever List A century, and he turned it into a double hundred in style. With this innings, he became only the ninth batter in Vijay Hazare Trophy history to score a double century. His score of 212 is now the joint fourth-highest individual total in the tournament, matching Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 212 from 2019.

Highest individual scores in Vijay Hazare Trophy history

Samal also broke Odisha’s long-standing List A record, surpassing the previous best of 145 set in 2005. However, with Vishvaraj Jadeja (50), Sammar Gajjar (132), and Chirag Jani (86) putting up some incredible performances, Saurashtra chased down the target of 346 in 48.5 overs and won the match by five wickets.

Devdutt Padikkal (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Karnataka created history in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Jharkhand on Wednesday with one of the greatest run chases ever seen in List-A cricket at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Karnataka reached a massive target of 413 runs with 15 balls still left in the chase and five wickets in hand.This chase is now the second-highest successful run chase in the history of List-A cricket. Only South Africa’s famous chase of 435 runs against Australia in 2006 stands above it.

Highest chases in List-A cricket

The foundation of this incredible win was laid by Devdutt Padikkal. The left-handed batter played a brilliant innings when his team needed it the most. Padikkal racked up 147 runs off 118 balls with 10 fours and seven sixes. Even though the required run rate stayed above eight runs per over for most of the chase, he kept his composure.Earlier in the match, Jharkhand looked completely in control. Their captain, Ishan Kishan, smashed a sensational century in just 33 balls. It was the second-fastest hundred ever by an Indian in List-A cricket. His knock pushed Jharkhand past the 400-run mark and made the target look almost impossible to chase in a 50-over game.However, Karnataka’s batters showed great belief and courage. Captain Mayank Agarwal gave the chase early momentum with a smooth 54 runs. In the middle overs, Abhinav Manohar played an important role by scoring a quick 56. Showcasing the right example of his power, Manohar maintained the pressure on the bowlers as he ensured the run rate never went out of reach.20-year-old Dhruv Prabhakar, who played a mature and confident knock on his List-A debut, added the final touches.He remained unbeaten on 40 and showed excellent composure. His smart running between the wickets and ability to find gaps helped Karnataka cross the line comfortably.

England’s Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer (AP Photo)

England have made some changes to their playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia. In this year’s Boxing Day Test, England will take on Australia in Melbourne on Friday.The biggest setback is the loss of fast bowler Jofra Archer, who has been ruled out of the rest of the series due to a side strain.

This is another tough blow for England on a tour where nothing has gone their way so far.Archer, 30, had only recently returned to Test cricket after being away for four years because of elbow and back injuries. He picked up the side injury during the third Test in Adelaide and will now miss both the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the final Test in Sydney. According to the reports, he will return to the UK after the fourth Test for further checks, and a decision will then be made about his availability for the T20 World Cup early next year.Despite England being 3-0 down, Archer has been one of their few bright spots. He took nine wickets in the series and also scored his first Test half-century in Adelaide. Captain Ben Stokes praised his effort, saying, “The effort that he’s put in over these three games has been exceptional.” He added, “There were a lot of question marks around his ability or whatever it may be coming out to Australia, and he’s put in a great effort for the team.”With Archer out, Gus Atkinson comes into the XI. England are already without Mark Wood, who is also injured, but they do not plan to add another fast bowler to the squad.There is also a major change in the batting line-up. Ollie Pope has been dropped after a poor run of form and replaced by Jacob Bethell. Pope has struggled throughout the series, with a highest score of just 46. His average over the past seven Tests is low, and this is the first time he has been left out of a Test side since 2022.Bethell, 22, has shown promise but has not played much first-class cricket this year. However, he did score 71 for England Lions against Australia A earlier this month, which helped his case.Stokes admitted the mood in the camp is low, saying, “He’s not going to be the only one who’s disappointed in the dressing room with how things have gone… There’s going to be a lot of disappointment within the dressing room from everyone who’s in there.”Ben Duckett keeps his place despite an off-field controversy, with Stokes offering strong support. England now head into the fourth Test hoping these changes can spark a turnaround in a tough Ashes campaign.England XI for Boxing Day Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.

Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: On his return to domestic cricket, India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli produced another eye-catching performance as Delhi started their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign with a thrilling four-wicket win over Andhra in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Playing at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Delhi chased down the target of 299 and won the match, thanks mainly to Kohli’s masterclass with the bat.

Delhi won the toss and chose to bowl first. Andhra made good use of the opportunity and posted a strong total of 298 for 8 in their 50 overs. Ricky Bhui was the standout performer for Andhra. He played an excellent knock of 122 runs from 105 balls, hitting 11 fours and seven sixes. His innings gave Andhra the backbone they needed after early wickets. Nitish Reddy (23), Maramreddy Hemanth Reddy (27), and Singupuram Prasad (28) also added quick runs at the end to push the score close to 300.For Delhi, Simarjeet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, having taken five wickets and broken important partnerships. Prince Yadav also bowled well and picked up three wickets.Chasing 299 was never going to be easy, but Delhi got off to a flying start. Young batter Priyansh Arya played an aggressive innings. He amassed 74 runs from just 44 balls. His attacking approach put pressure on the Andhra bowlers early in the chase.After Arya got out, Virat Kohli took full control of the innings. Now retired from T20Is and Test cricket, Kohli showed his experience in the longer format of the game. He paced his innings perfectly and found the gaps with ease. Kohli scored a magnificent 131 runs from 101 balls, courtesy of 14 fours and three sixes.

Delhi’s Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

In doing so, Kohli also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest player to reach 16,000 List A runs. The 37-year-old reached the milestone in his 330th innings during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, compared to Tendulkar’s 391 innings.Nitish Rana gave Kohli excellent support from the other end. Rana played a quick and fearless knock of 77 runs from 55 balls. Together, Kohli and Rana stitched a match-winning partnership that pushed Delhi closer to the win.Although Delhi lost a few wickets towards the end, the hard work was already done. The team reached the target in just 37.4 overs. Harsh Tyagi (4) and Navdeep Saini (5) stayed till the end to seal the win.Nevertheless, Wednesday saw Kohli’s brilliance on display as his innings helped Delhi begin their tournament on a high note.

NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma played a stunning innings of 155 runs as Mumbai began their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign with a comfortable win over Sikkim at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where Mumbai chased down the target with ease and won by eight wickets.Sikkim won the toss and chose to bat first. They put up a fighting total of 236 for 7 in their 50 overs.

Ashish Thapa was the top scorer for Sikkim. The wicketkeeper-batter played a steady knock of 79 runs from 87 balls and held the innings together. K Sai Satwik and Kranthi Kumar also contributed with 34 runs each, while Robin Limboo remained not out on 31. Mumbai’s bowlers kept things under control, with Shardul Thakur leading the attack by taking two wickets and conceding very few runs. Musheer Khan and Shams Mulani also chipped in with one wicket each.While Sikkim’s total looked competitive, it was never going to be enough once Rohit Sharma got going.Mumbai’s chase started calmly, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi playing a patient knock of 38 with a strike rate of 65.52. From the other end, Rohit Sharma slowly settled in and then completely took charge of the match. The senior batter was in complete control and punished anything loose.Rohit smashed 155 runs from just 94 balls as his innings included 18 fours and nine sixes. Scoring at a rapid strike rate, he made the chase look effortless. Completing his 100 in 62 balls, Rohit garnered the fastest-ever century of his List A career.The Sikkim bowlers had no answers once Rohit found his rhythm. Musheer remained not out on 27 and played his role well.On the other end, Sarfaraz Khan finished the match with a quick cameo of eight runs. Mumbai reached the target in just 30.3 overs and won the match by eight wickets.With both bat and ball clicking, Mumbai have started their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign in perfect fashion. Going into the next matches, they will be confident.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sakibul Gani

NEW DELHI: Bihar rewrote the history books in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, piling up the highest team total ever recorded in List A cricket during their Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 Plate Group match against Arunachal Pradesh in Ranchi. Powered by breathtaking centuries and a relentless assault that lasted the full 50 overs, Bihar amassed a staggering 574/6, eclipsing the previous world record of 506/2 set by Tamil Nadu — also against Arunachal Pradesh — in the same tournament in 2022.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!At the heart of the carnage was Bihar captain Sakibul Gani (128 not out off 40 balls), who etched his name into the record books by smashing the fastest List A century by an Indian. Gani raced to his hundred in just 32 balls, surpassing Anmolpreet Singh’s 35-ball effort from last season, and provided the final, brutal flourish to an innings that had already spiralled beyond control for the opposition.

While Gani supplied the exclamation point, the foundation — and much of the spectacle — was laid by 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Already one of the most talked-about names in Indian age-group cricket, Suryavanshi produced a knock that bordered on the unreal, hammering 190 off just 84 balls. His innings featured a jaw-dropping 15 sixes and 16 fours, as he brought up his century in only 36 deliveries, now the third-fastest by an Indian in List A cricket.In the process, Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in List A history at 14 years and 272 days, eclipsing the long-standing record held by Pakistan’s Zahoor Elahi. Only Jake Fraser-McGurk (29 balls) and AB de Villiers (31 balls) have reached a List A hundred quicker worldwide than Gani.The run-fest did not end there. Ayush Loharuka (116 off 56) also registered a century, ensuring Bihar never lost momentum after choosing to bat first. Arunachal Pradesh’s bowlers, struggling for penetration and consistency, were unable to stem the flow as boundaries rained in all directions through the innings.The sheer scale of the achievement — 574 runs in a 50-over match — underlines the extraordinary nature of the performance.

MI Emirates booked their place in the playoffs with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Gulf Giants at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. A disciplined bowling display set up the chase before Nicholas Pooran and Muhammad Waseem stitched an unbeaten 140-run partnership off just 89 balls to seal a fourth successive win with 21 deliveries remaining.Chasing 142, MI Emirates were reduced to 2/2 early after Mark Adair removed Jonny Bairstow and Azmatullah Omarzai dismissed Tom Banton. From 58/2 at the halfway stage, Pooran and Waseem took control, adding 84 runs in 6.3 overs. Waseem finished unbeaten on 59 off 42 balls, while Pooran smashed 69 not out off 49, striking six sixes. Moeen Ali’s 51 off 48 proved insufficient for the Giants.

Pooran accelerated after the 10th over, reaching his fifty in 43 balls, while Waseem brought up his maiden half-century of the season in just 38 deliveries. With 27 required off 30 balls, the pair wrapped up the chase comfortably, Pooran striking consecutive sixes before Waseem guided the side home.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Earlier, MI Emirates’ bowlers kept the Giants in check from the outset. Romario Shepherd struck twice in the powerplay, while Fazalhaq Farooqi and Arab Gul maintained pressure through the middle overs. Moeen Ali and Romario Shepherd struggled to break free initially before Ali and Andre Russell added late momentum. Despite Ali’s half-century and a brisk cameo from Mayers, the Giants were restricted to 141/6.

Romario Shepherd of MI Emirates bowls during Match 26 of the ILT20 between the MI Emirates and the Gulf Giants

Player of the match Muhammad Waseem said the plan was to weather the early movement before capitalising on loose deliveries. Waseem said: “We spoke in the middle about the movement early on. The focus was simply to survive the first three or four overs and build a partnership. Once we got through that phase, we were able to settle into our natural game and wait for the loose deliveries.”

Giants skipper James Vince admitted his side struggled to judge par scores after losing early wickets yet again. He said: “We were short of runs again. Batting first, we’re struggling to assess the right tempo and what a competitive total looks like. Losing early wickets really knocked the momentum out of our innings. That said, I thought we finished better than we have in recent games, but the damage was done upfront.”Brief Scores Gulf Giants: 141/6 in 20 overs (Moeen Ali 51, Kyle Mayers 28 not out; Fazalhaq Farooqi 2/17, Romario Shepherd 2/36)MI Emirates: 142/2 in 16.3 overs (Muhammad Waseem 59 not out, Nicholas Pooran 69 not out; Azmatullah Omarzai 1/20, Mark Adair 1/30)