Bengaluru, Nov 15: India advanced to the semi-finals of the Cricket for the Blind 2025 Women’s T20 World Cup with a commanding ten-wicket win over the USA.

In only their sixth match of the tournament, India secured their fourth consecutive win, defeating the USA by ten wickets in a contest that was as symbolic as it was one-sided.

For the USA Women’s Blind Cricket Team, this was a remarkable occasion. As they made their World Cup debut, the team was assembled from scratch over the past year, shaped through an unprecedented developmental partnership with Indian institutions that identified, trained, and nurtured visually impaired cricketers across the United States.

Opting to bat first, USA fought hard but were limited to 60/8 in 20 overs, owing to India’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. Tatyana (17 off 41, B2) and Caroline (12 off 26, B2) demonstrated resilience against a relentless attack, but wickets kept falling as India’s bowlers kept tight lines and created pressure throughout.

Simranjeet Kour (B2), Sunita Srathe (B2), Simu Das (B1), and Ganga Kadam (B3) each picked up a wicket, while India’s fielders contributed with multiple run-outs — a testament to their coordination across all categories.

What followed was an extraordinary display of batting authority. Chasing just 61, India romped home in 3.3 overs without losing a wicket. Player of the Match Simranjeet Kour blasted an unbeaten 31 off 12 balls (B2), while Kavya N.R (B3) complemented her with a swift 21 off 12*, sealing the match in minutes. The gulf in experience showed, yet the spirit displayed by the young USA side reflected the courage and commitment fueling their rise on the global stage.

India now turn their attention to what promises to be one of the marquee fixtures of the tournament: a high-voltage showdown against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday in Colombo.

Lucknow, Nov 14: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Friday, met the state’s World Cup winning Women’s Cricket Team player Deepti Sharma and also led a Cabinet meeting which took 20 key decisions, including one on easing the registration process for old age pension, an official said.

Sharma, who is serving as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the state, was praised by Chief Minister Adityanath for her good performance in the World Cricket final and winning the Player of the Tournament award.

“Deepti has done the Uttar Pradesh Police proud at the world stage,” CM Adityanath had tweeted soon after the women’s cricket team lifted the World Cup on November 2.

Cricketer Deepti Sharma was earlier appointed as DSP in January this year under the sports quota as part of Chief Minister Adityanath’s Skilled Athlete Scheme.

During the Cabinet meeting held at the CM residence on Friday, CM Adityanath led his Ministers in congratulating the women’s cricket team for winning the World Cup.

The Cabinet also condemned the fatal Delhi blast on November 10.

A key decision taken at the meeting relates to saving the elderly the trouble of running around for pension.

The Cabinet decided that the social welfare department will deploy call-centre executives to contact and seek consent of the beneficiary and fill their forms online through common service centres.

The forms will be verified using family IDs before the release of their pension, saving the elderly to run around to complete formalities.

As a pilot project, the scheme will be tried in five districts, including Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Hardoi, Kannauj and Lalitpur, an official said.

In the existing system, an online application by an elderly person seeking pension needs the verification by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and village Block Development Officer before an approval from the District Magistrate-led Committee.

An official said the proposed new system will speed up the entire process.

The scheme will benefit all elderly over the age of 60 with an annual income of Rs 56,460 or less in urban areas and Rs 46,080 or less in rural areas.

The Cabinet also approved a scheme to provide car loan to employees of judicial services.

Other Cabinet decisions included approval for a private university in Shahjahanpur and beneficial rate revision for cane procurement.

New Delhi, Nov 13: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has instructed it’s players to “continue with the tour as scheduled” after some squad members wished to leave Pakistan mid-tour and return home, citing concerns over their security following the suicide bombing in Islamabad.

SLC also threatened players of the men’s national team and support staff with “a formal review” if any player returns home despite its directive.

The two teams are currently involved in a three-match ODI series in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi and recently concluded the first game on Tuesday, where the hosts won by six runs. After the bilateral series, Sri Lanka are also scheduled to take part in a Tri-series, involving hosts Pakistan and Zimbabwe, starting on November 19.

“Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was informed by the team management this morning that several members of the national team currently touring Pakistan have requested to return home, citing safety concerns.

“Following this development, SLC immediately engaged with the players and assured them that all such concerns are being duly addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of every member of the touring party.

“In this context, SLC has instructed all players, support staff, and team management to continue with the tour as scheduled. However, should any player or member of the touring party decide to return to Sri Lanka despite the directive issued by SLC to continue with the tour, Sri Lanka Cricket will immediately send replacements to ensure that the tour continues without interruption.

“If any player, players, or member of the support staff return despite SLC’s directives, a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions, and an appropriate decision will be made upon the conclusion of the review,” the board stated in a release.

Following the developments, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced changes to the schedule of the ongoing ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as the upcoming T20I Tri-Nation Tournament involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Under the revised schedule, the remaining ODI matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now be played on November 14 and 16 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (RCS), while the T20I Tri-Nation Tournament shall now completely be played in Rawalpindi, commencing November 18, with the final scheduled for November 29.