NEW DELHI: Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana has broken her social media silence with her first post since her wedding postponement. She shared a promotional video for a toothpaste brand on Instagram.Fans quickly noticed the absence of her engagement ring in the advertisement. The timing of the video shoot, whether before or after her engagement, remains unclear.

The wedding between Mandhana and composer Palash Muchhal was originally set for November 23, 2025, in Sangli. The ceremony was postponed indefinitely after Mandhana’s father faced a medical emergency and required hospitalisation on the wedding day. The situation worsened when Palash also needed hospital care, reportedly due to severe stress. Both families mutually agreed to postpone the ceremony given the circumstances.The couple’s engagement took place at DY Patil Stadium, the Women’s World Cup final venue, where Palash surprised Mandhana with a proposal. The wedding was planned following India’s historic World Cup victory, where Mandhana emerged as the tournament’s highest run-scorer.Online speculation intensified when reports suggested changes in the couple’s social media behaviour. Mandhana allegedly removed wedding-related posts, while some of her teammates reportedly unfollowed or removed tags related to Palash.The couple recently added a nazar emoji to their Instagram bios, seemingly responding to the speculation. And now that her engagement ring is missing from the videoWatch:Shravan Mandhana, Smriti’s brother, has denied rumours about a new wedding date, confirming that the postponement remains in effect with no new date set.Both families have requested privacy during this challenging period. Palash’s sister has publicly acknowledged the strain on both families.In a show of support, teammate Jemimah Rodrigues opted to skip the Women’s Big Bash League to remain in India with Mandhana.Mandhana is set to return to cricket in a five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka from December 21 to 30. The matches, scheduled in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram, will help India prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup.She will also captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the upcoming Women’s Premier League, beginning January 9 in Navi Mumbai.

Mitchell Starc has officially stepped past a living legend. The Australian speedster is now the most successful left-arm fast bowler in Test history, surpassing Pakistan icon Wasim Akram‘s tally of 414 wickets during a sensational spell on day one of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Starc produced a fiery 6/71 against England, the performance that elevated him to 418 Test wickets, pushing him to the top of the all-time list for left-arm pacers — and triggering an emotional tribute from the man he overtook.Within minutes of the milestone, Akram took to social media and posted a heartfelt salute to Starc, calling him a worthy successor to the throne he has held for decades. His message read like a coronation.“Super Starc! Proud of you, mate,” Akram wrote on X. “Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets . I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career.”Akram’s words are more than praise. They symbolise a baton being passed between two generations defined by reverse swing, toe-crushing yorkers and unrelenting aggression.Yet, in a moment of humility that stunned reporters, Starc insisted Akram remains untouchable.“Wasim’s still a far better bowler than I am,” Starc said. “He’s the pinnacle of left-armers… I’ll just try and keep churning a few out.”While he plays down the achievement, Starc now sits alongside cricket’s immortals. Among Australian wicket-takers, only Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563) and Nathan Lyon (562) stand ahead of him. At 35, with form sizzling and the Ashes still unfolding, his chase isn’t over.

NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has slammed Ravindra Jadeja’s lack of urgency with the bat, calling the left-hander’s slow finish a “crucial difference” in India’s four-wicket defeat to South Africa in the second ODI on Wednesday. Despite centuries from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad powering India to 358/5, South Africa chased the target down in the final over, leaving Pathan convinced that India “left runs on the table.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The flashpoint for Pathan was Jadeja’s unbeaten 24 off 27 balls, an innings he felt lacked the aggression demanded at the death.“Ravindra Jadeja’s 27 off 24 felt extremely slow. We said during commentary — this could hurt India, and in the end, it did,” Pathan said on Seedhi Baat. “If everyone is striking above a run a ball and you’re at 88 strike rate, the innings lacked urgency. The intent from Jadeja was disappointing.”

Pathan insisted his criticism was not “hindsight analysis,” emphasising that the warning was raised live during the game. With a mammoth score on the cards in Raipur, he said India failed to push their advantage when it mattered most.“India were in a strong position. The ball was getting wet, the fielding side would struggle later. But Jadeja not pulling his weight with the bat became a disappointing factor,” he added.

Pathan credited South Africa for a late bowling surge, pointing out that India managed only 55 runs between overs 39 and 49, allowing the visitors to regain control.“This score could have been 370. The way Lungi Ngidi and the others pulled things back was outstanding. KL Rahul’s 18 runs in the final over were magnificent, but it was crucial how South Africa clawed back.”With the series tied 1–1, India head to Vizag needing both runs and intent — something Pathan clearly expects more of.

Gulf Giants defeated MI Emirates by six wickets in their opening match of ILT20 Season 4 at Dubai International Stadium, powered by Pathum Nissanka‘s explosive 81 runs off 42 balls and Azmatullah Omarzai‘s all-round performance, ending their six-match losing streak at the venue.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The Giants’ bowling attack effectively contained MI Emirates to 163/6 in 20 overs, with Omarzai and Nuwan Thushara each claiming two wickets. MI Emirates lost three early wickets during the powerplay.Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran stabilised the MI Emirates innings with a 78-run partnership, with Pollard scoring 50 off 33 balls and Pooran contributing 46 off 39 balls.

Romario Shepherd’s quick 18 runs off 6 balls and Rashid Khan’s 6 runs off 1 ball provided a late boost to MI Emirates’ total.The Giants’ chase faced early challenges when Chris Woakes dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gerhard Erasmus cheaply. However, Nissanka and Moeen Ali steadied the innings with a partnership that took the team to 67 runs.Nissanka reached his half-century in 30 balls, while Omarzai launched an aggressive attack against Rashid Khan, scoring 23 runs in a single over.The Giants successfully reached their target in 14.4 overs, with Omarzai remaining unbeaten on 39 off 16 balls. MI Emirates’ bowling struggled as four of their five bowlers conceded more than 10 runs per over.“It’s a great performance. The toss was huge. We bowled very well in the first 10 overs. They have three players who can take it away, and we held them back nicely, and then Nissanka and Omarzai were incredible. Nissanka is a brilliant player. He is one of the best in the world. He is very calm, doesn’t say much, but packs a punch. Omarzai gave us the momentum to finish the game by taking on Rashid Khan,” said stand-in captain Moeen Ali.“Losing three wickets in the powerplay, and having to rebuild, we were short in the first innings. The ball was moving around quite a bit in the first 10 overs, and we couldn’t finish it off as well as we wanted. We just need to be better in terms of execution,” said MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard.The Giants’ early bowling success included Thushara dismissing Mohammed Waseem and Jonny Bairstow, while Omarzai removed Tom Banton in the third over.Nicholas Pooran and Tajinder Singh attempted to rebuild with a 27-run partnership before Moeen Ali dismissed Tajinder, leaving MI Emirates at 58/4 in 10 overs.Brief Scores

AUS vs ENG Live Score, 2nd Ashes Test Day 2: Joe Root finally broke one of Test cricket’s most scrutinised barriers, smashing his maiden century in Australia to lift England from disaster to respectability on Day 1 of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. Arriving at 5/2 after Mitchell Starc tore through the top order, Root responded with an authoritative unbeaten 135 that guided England to 325/9 at stumps.

On his fourth Ashes tour, the 34-year-old silenced critics who argued he could not join cricket’s elite without a hundred Down Under. Zak Crawley supported him with a gritty 76 in a 117-run stand, later calling Root “the best player I’ve ever played with or against.”

But the day also belonged to Mitchell Starc, who claimed 6-71 and overtook Pakistan legend Wasim Akram to become the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history with 418 wickets. Starc humbly responded, “Wasim’s still the pinnacle,” even after breaking the record. His two early strikes — Ben Duckett for a golden duck and Ollie Pope bowled — gave Australia a dream start under lights.

Late fireworks came from No. 11 Jofra Archer, who smashed 32 off 26 balls, including two towering sixes, to set a new England 10th-wicket partnership record at the Gabba with Root.

In a shock move, Australia dropped off-spinner Nathan Lyon for seamer Michael Neser, marking their first home Test without a frontline spinner in almost 14 years. England’s tempered approach after their collapse in Perth helped them survive the evening session, leaving the contest delicately poised.

NEW DELHI: Out-of-favour India pacer Mohammed Shami delivered another strong performance in domestic cricket, taking 4 for 13 to help Bengal beat Services by seven wickets in a Group C match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Hyderabad on Thursday. This was Bengal’s fourth win in five matches in the tournament. The team, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, moved to the top of the points table with 16 points and is in a good position to reach the knockouts.

Easwaran, who is also trying to strengthen his case ahead of the IPL auction, scored 58 off 37 balls. Bengal chased 166 in 15.1 overs. Abhishek Porel, representing Delhi Capitals in the IPL, scored 56 off 29 balls. The pair added 93 runs for the second wicket in 8.2 overs, which set up the chase. The platform was created by Shami, who was named Player of the Match for his figures of 4/13 in 3.2 overs, and India pacer Akash Deep, who took 3/27. Services were bowled out for 165 in 18.2 overs. Shami picked two wickets in his first spell, dismissing openers Gaurav Kocchar (0) and Ravi Chauhan (26 off 9). Mukesh Kumar, on his return, gave away 53 runs in three overs. Writtick Chatterjee (2/32) and Akash Deep removed key middle-order batters before Shami ended the innings by taking the final wickets.

Shami’s strong domestic performance comes when India’s pace-bowling options for the South Africa series are being discussed. Prasidh Krishna conceded 85 runs in the second ODI, even though he took two wickets, which led to debate about Shami’s absence. Harbhajan Singh also questioned the decision.“Where is Shami? I don’t know why Shami is not playing. I get it, you have Prasidh, he is a good bowler, but he still has a lot to learn. You had good bowlers, and you have slowly sidelined them. With Bumrah, this is a different bowling attack, and without Bumrah, it is entirely different attack altogether. We have to learn the art of winning games without Jasprit Bumrah,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. Shami has not played for India since the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where he finished as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker with nine wickets.

Singer Palak Muchhal has spoken for the first time about the postponement of her brother Palash Muchhal and India women’s cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana’s wedding, saying both families are trying to stay positive after unexpected health emergencies forced a delay in the ceremony. The wedding, scheduled for November 23, was put on hold after Mandhana’s father and Palash were hospitalised on consecutive days.Smriti Mandhana and music composer Palash Muchhal’s wedding, scheduled for November 23, was postponed after health-related issues in the family.

The developments began when Mandhana’s father, Shriniwas, became unwell on the day of the ceremony and was taken to a hospital. A day later, groom-to-be Palash Muchhal was also admitted to a hospital in Sangli, Mandhana’s hometown. He was later shifted to Mumbai for treatment and rest.Singer Palak Muchhal has now commented publicly for the first time on the postponement of her brother Palash Muchhal and Smriti Mandhana’s wedding. In a conversation with Filmfare, Palak spoke about how both families are dealing with the situation.What did Palak say?When asked how the family is managing the circumstances, Palak said, “I think the families have been through a very tough time. Like you just said, I would just want to repeat that we would like to believe in positivity at this time. We would like to spread positivity as much as we can. We are also trying to stay strong.”How the events unfoldedSmriti Mandhana and Palash Muchhal were set to get married on November 23. The couple and their families had taken part in pre-wedding functions and were seen dancing together during the celebrations. On the wedding day, however, Smriti’s father fell ill and was moved to the hospital.Mandhana’s manager later confirmed that the wedding had been postponed and said the families decided to delay the event due to these health issues. After the announcement, Mandhana deleted all wedding-related posts from her Instagram account. Some photos of the two are still visible on Palash’s social media pages.Both Shriniwas and Palash have since been discharged from hospital care and are recovering. The families have not yet announced a new date for the wedding.

NEW DELHI: Punjab FC lost 3-1 to East Bengal in the first semifinal of the AIFF Super Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, on Thursday.With this win, East Bengal entered their third AIFF Super Cup final. It is also their second final of the season after losing the IFA Shield to Mohun Bagan SG.East Bengal went ahead in the 12th minute when Mohamad Bashim Rashid scored. Punjab FC equalised in the 34th minute through a Daniel Ramirez penalty.Kevin Sibille restored East Bengal’s lead in first-half stoppage time (45+3), and captain Saul Crespo scored in the 71st minute to secure the result for Oscar Bruzon’s team.Both sides began the match slowly, trying to settle into the game. Punjab had the first clear chance when Pramveer met a cross in the tenth minute, but his header went wide.Punjab were without suspended defender Muhammed Uvais, and the team seemed unsettled in defence. East Bengal took advantage of this when they struck in the 12th minute from a short corner. Miguel Ferreira sent a cross that was only partly cleared. The ball fell to Rashid outside the box, and he sent a low shot that went under goalkeeper Muheet Shabir’s glove. It was Rashid’s first goal for East Bengal.Punjab responded by moving higher up the field. Their equaliser came after an error inside the box. A header from Ricky Shabong struck Bipin Singh’s arm, and the referee awarded a penalty. Ramirez sent the spot kick past goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.East Bengal pushed back soon after. Just before half-time, Ferreira sent in another corner from the left. Sibille jumped higher than his marker and scored with a header. East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon received a second yellow card while celebrating the goal.In the second half, East Bengal controlled more of the play. In the 56th minute, Bipin Singh moved down the left and took a shot that Shabir saved. Hiroshi Ibusuki reached the rebound but headed the ball off target.Punjab attempted to create openings through Suhail and Ramirez but could not break East Bengal’s defence.East Bengal scored again in the 71st minute. Ferreira moved past multiple Punjab players inside the box before passing the ball to Crespo, who sent a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.