New Delhi, Feb 25: The first-ever finalists Kerala will take on two-time champions Vidarbha in the summit clash of the Ranji Trophy, which will be played at the VCA Stadium here in Jamtha from Wednesday.

Kerala, who entered the semi-final clash only for the second time, will look to seal their maiden title, whereas Vidarbha are aiming to go one step further from their 2024 heartache and win the trophy this time around.

Kerala sealed their maiden Ranji Trophy final by taking a slim two-run first-innings lead over Gujarat, ending a 68-year wait to reach the title clash in India’s premier domestic competition.

Vidarbha, which will make its fourth appearance in the Ranji final after winning the title in 2017-18 and 2018-19, qualified for the summit clash after a commanding 80-run win over defending champions Mumbai.

Here is all you need to know about the Vidarbha vs Kerala Ranji Trophy final:

When to watch: Vidarbha vs Kerala, Ranji Trophy final happens at 9:30 AM IST from February 26 to March 2.

Venue: Vidarbha vs Kerala Ranji Trophy final will be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur

Where will the Vidarbha vs Kerala Ranji Trophy final be telecast and live-streamed?

Vidarbha vs Kerala Ranji Trophy final will be available to stream live on the JioHotstar app and website in India. The telecast details are yet to be known.

Squads:

Vidarbha : Akshay Wadkar (captain/wicketkeeper), Atharva Taide, Aman Mokhade, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Akshay Karnewar, Yash Kadam, Akshay Wakhare, Aditya Thakare, Shubham Kapse, Nachiket Bhute, Siddhesh Wath (wicketkeeper), Yash Thakur, Danish Malewar, Parth Rekhade, Karun Nair, Dhruv Shorey.

Kerala: Sachin Baby (captain), Rohan S.Kunnummal, Baba Aparajith, Vishnu Vinod, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Akshay Chandran, Shoun Roger, Jalaj Saxena, Salman Nizar, Aditya Sarwate, Basil Thampi, M.D. Nidheesh, N.P. Basil, N.M. Sharafuddeen, E.M. Sreehari.

Dubai, Feb 25: Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has lauded India star batter Virat Kohli’s ability to step up in crucial moments after the right-hander steered India to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy with a rollicking unbeaten ton.

The game was headlined by Kohli’s carefully crafted unbeaten century, which not only secured India’s win but also saw him achieve remarkable individual milestones.

Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 off 111 deliveries to keep the momentum, bringing up his 51st ODI ton whic is most by anyone in the format. The 36-year-old also crossed the 14,000-run mark to become only the third batter to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.

“I’ve always said big games equal big names. You need your big names to stand up in those big moments, and no bigger game for India than a game against Pakistan,: Ponting told ICC.

“Your reputation is forged in what you do in the biggest contests on the international stage. So it’s no surprise to me that that has happened,” he added, describing Kohli’s unbeaten 100 off 111 balls as a testament to his temperament and ability to deliver in crucial situations,” he said.

This was not the first that Kohli’s brilliance powered India to winover Pakistan; during the chase of 160 at the MCG at the 2022 T20 World Cup it was Kohli, who stepped up and steered his country to victory, hitting 82 from 53 balls in Melbourne.

Ponting drew parallels between the batting stalwart’s clutch knock in Melbourne against the same opponent, which steered India to a win and his brilliance in Dubai.

“Yeah, as you say, 2022 and now, he stood up against the team that he would probably steel himself the most to play against. And no bigger moment than last night when Pakistan had batted first on a tricky wicket. It needed someone at the top of the order to play a match-winning innings like that. And once again, it was Kohli to get the job done,” the ICC Hall of Famer said.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 241 in 49.4 overs, a total that seemed competitive but ultimately fell short against India’s batting prowess. Pakistan had several batters who got starts but failed to convert them into bigger scores, something Ponting pointed out as a key shortfall.

“You look at the two scorecards, it’s one, Virat making a 100, and lots of Pakistan starts without anyone going on and making a big score,” Ponting noted.

“I’ve said forever, in any format of the game, a 50 or a half-century never wins you or your team anything. You have to get big scores. And so the individual big scores weren’t there, but the big partnerships weren’t there either.”

Chasing 242, India lost early wickets, but Kohli anchored the innings with composure and precision. Forming a crucial partnership with Shreyas Iyer (56), he guided India home with several well-timed strokes and controlled aggression.

“He’s obviously been a champion player for a long, long time. And particularly in the white-ball formats, where he’s been an unbelievably good 50-over player. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better 50-over player than Virat Kohli. Now that he’s gone past me and only two ahead of him, I’m sure he would want to give himself the best chance to be remembered as the all-time leading run scorer in the game.

“As long as the hunger’s there, obviously physical-wise, he’s probably as fit as he’s ever been and works exceptionally hard on that side of his game,” said Ponting.

Kohli now just 149 runs behind Sangakkara but over 4,000 short of Tendulkar in the list if most ODI runs in a career, Ponting was asked if the latter’s record was within reach.

“It’s crazy when you think about it, isn’t it? Just how good Virat’s been over such a long period of time, yet he’s still 4,000 runs behind Sachin. It just goes to show how good Sachin was, but also his longevity in the game. But with someone like Virat, you never write him off. If the hunger’s still there, then I’m never going to write him off,” Ponting said.

Rawalpindi (Pakistan), Feb 24: The reigning World Champions Australia will lock horns with South Africa in a highly-anticipated clash in the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. With both teams securing dominant wins in their opening matches, the contest promises to be a crucial battle in shaping the Group B standings.

Australia announced their intent early in the tournament with a thrilling chase against England, overhauling a daunting 352-run target in Lahore to win by five wickets. South Africa, on the other hand, flexed their muscles against Afghanistan in Karachi, cruising to a comprehensive 107-run victory. With momentum on their side, both teams will look to consolidate their position in the race for the semi-finals.

Australia might be without several members of their 2023 World Cup-winning squad, but their opening performance showed they remain a force to be reckoned with. Skipper Pat Cummins, alongside pace spearheads Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, is missing from the tournament due to injuries or personal reasons, while the shock retirement of Marcus Stoinis has further thinned their all-round options.

Despite these setbacks, Australia found match-winners in their first game, with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis leading the charge with a superb century.

Veteran Steve Smith will be key at the top, especially with Marnus Labuschagne holding the middle order together. The Rawalpindi pitch is expected to favour stroke-makers, making it an ideal setting for Australia’s aggressive approach. With the ball, Ben Dwarshuis impressed on his debut against England and could once again be pivotal in the absence of seasoned pacers.

South Africa’s dominant display against Afghanistan underlined their title credentials, with Ryan Rickelton emerging as the standout performer.

The young opener not only struck a century but also kept wickets in the absence of Heinrich Klaasen, who remains a doubtful starter for this game due to an elbow injury. Should Klaasen be unavailable, Rickelton will again be tasked with dual responsibilities.

Rawalpindi’s surface is historically a paradise for batters, with good bounce and pace early in the innings. However, as the match wears on, spinners could find some assistance, making middle-over battles crucial.

Dew might be a factor under lights, which could tempt the captain to win the toss to bowl first and take advantage of improved chasing conditions later in the game.

Recent ODI matches at the venue have seen high scores and successful chases, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest.

Australia and South Africa share a fierce rivalry in the 50-over format, with the Proteas holding a slight edge in their ODI battles. In 110 matches between the two sides, South Africa have won 55, while Australia have emerged victorious on 51 occasions. Three matches have ended in ties, and one had no result.

When: February 25, Tuesday

Where: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Time: The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm IST while the toss will take place at 2 pm.

Broadcast details: The match will be broadcast on Star Sports Network.

Live Streaming: The match will be live-streamed on JioHotstar.

Squads:

Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

Travelling reserve: Cooper Connolly.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch.

Travelling reserve: Kwena Maphaka