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Rohit, Pandya, Bumrah, Arshdeep headline ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year

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Dubai, Jan 25: Rohit Sharma has been named captain of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year while Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh also joined their skipper in the star-studded side.

Under Rohit’s leadership, India lifted the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last year after which he announced his retirement from the format. The Indian pace trio was also part of the winning squad.

The experienced opener showcased his batting mastery, amassing 378 runs in 11 matches at an impressive average of 42.00, and vitally at a strike rate of over 160. Rohit had a standout T20 World Cup, making three half-centuries, including an explosive 92 against Australia in the Super Eight stage.

Beyond his batting exploits, Rohit’s astute leadership played a critical role in guiding a young Indian side through pressure-filled moments and his leadership ensured that year would be a memorable one for his country.

Pandya reaffirmed his status as the best all-rounder in the shortest format with a stellar 2024, putting him back atop the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings.

Scoring 352 runs and picking up 16 wickets in 17 matches, Pandya’s contributions were crucial in a successful year for India that saw them crowned champions of the world in the 20-over format.

The 31-year-old had an impeccable campaign in the USA and West Indies, where he notched up 144 runs with the bat, in addition to grabbing 11 wickets, including bowling India to victory by defending 16 off the final over against the Proteas in the final. The game also saw him shine with his best figures of 3/20 in 2024.

The all-rounder’s best with the bat came against Bangladesh in their group-stage fixture, against whom he scored an unbeaten 50.

India’s pace spearhead Bumrah’s return to T20I cricket in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular, as the right-arm speedster’s precise yorkers and death-over mastery were pivotal in India’s title-winning campaign. He took 15 wickets in eight matches at a jaw-dropping average of 8.26, which made him almost unplayable.

Beyond the World Cup, Bumrah’s consistency across formats reaffirmed his position as one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket.

Bumrah’s work also means he is in the running as a nominee for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.

On the other hand, Arshdeep was India’s most prolific bowler in 2024, finishing the year with 36 wickets in 18 matches at an impressive average of 13.50, and ranking him as the eighth-best T20I bowler in the world.

His standout performance came in the T20 World Cup, finishing with the second-most wickets in the tournament with 17 scalps from eight games.

Known for his accuracy and composure, Arshdeep excelled in the death overs, often turning games in India’s favor, and his ability to swing the ball early and execute pin-point yorkers at the end made him a complete package in T20 cricket.

His best with the ball came against co-hosts USA in the T20 World Cup, where he dismantled them with a fiery 4/9 spell.

Arshdeep’s rise in 2024 earned him widespread recognition, including a nomination for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.

The other members of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year include Australia’s Travis Head (539 runs), England’s Phil Salt (467 runs), Pakistan’s Babar Azam (738 runs), West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (464 runs), Zimbawe’s Sikandar Raza (573 runs and 24 wickets), Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (31 wickets) and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga (179 runs and 38 wickets).

National News

Lucknow Super Giants appoint Kane Williamson as strategic advisor for IPL 2026

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New Delhi, Oct 16: Veteran New Zealand cricketer Kane Williamson has been appointed as the new strategic advisor of IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Williamson will take on the role following the departure of India’s fast bowling legend Zaheer Khan, who was the franchise’s mentor for IPL 2025.

Interestingly, Williamson had been a part of the Durban’s Super Giants, the sister franchise of LSG, in this year’s SA20. “Kane has been a part of the Super Giants family and it’s an absolute delight to welcome him in his new role as Strategic Advisor for @LucknowIPL.”

“His leadership, strategic insight, deep understanding of the game, and ability to inspire players make him an invaluable addition to the team,” wrote Goenka, the chairman of RPSG Group, on his ‘X’ account on Thursday.

Williamson is currently on a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and his most recent appearance for the Blackcaps came in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where the side finished runners-up to India.

In 79 IPL matches, while turning out for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans, Williamson made 2128 runs at an average of 35.46 and a strike rate of 125.61, including being the leading run-getter in the 2018 season.

The franchise had previously hired former India bowling coach Bharat Arun as their bowling coach. Sources in the franchise have also told IANS on Thursday that Carl Crowe has been added to LSG’s support staff as the spin bowling coach.

Crowe was previously in the same role with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and worked on making Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy a lethal spin bowling pair for the three-time IPL winners.

“It was confirmed some time back that Crowe will also join Arun in LSG now, and an official statement will come soon. With Justin Langer also being retained as the head coach following talks going on back and forth, the franchise will soon kickstart its preparations for IPL 2026 auction,” further said sources.

LSG, under the leadership of India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, ended their IPL 2025 campaign at seventh place – matching their finish from the previous season of the competition. The back-to-back mid-table results mark a dip from their impressive third-place finishes in the IPL 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively.

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National News

Maharashtra Govt Seeks List Of Vacant Land To Build Sports Facilities For Children & Youth

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra sports department has sought a list of vacant land from the Waqf Board and its own department to develop sports facilities for children and youth across Mumbai.

The initiative aims to ensure better access to sports infrastructure, training opportunities, and to promote greater participation in sports at the community level. Speaking to the FPJ, sports, youth and minority development minister Manikrao Kokate said he has already directed officials to identify all vacant plots under their jurisdiction where such facilities can be established.

“I will receive the complete list within a month, and work will begin immediately,” Kokate said. The minister made the statement after being asked about the inaccessibility of several sports complexes and clubs in Mumbai, so that children not from affluent backgrounds are able to participate. Kokate also shared that to further boost sports activities among youth, his department recently held a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

During the meeting, Pawar instructed officials to create modern and upgraded sports facilities across the state and to draft a new sports policy after a detailed study of various aspects of sports development. “The aim is to raise the standard of sports culture in Maharashtra and give a new direction to the sector,” Pawar said. Officials have also studied sports infrastructure models from other Indian states and countries, exploring options to utilise Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding for sports development.

The government recently announced plans to provide dedicated, safe, and fully equipped changing rooms for women players at all sports complexes, gymkhanas, stadiums, and local playgrounds across Maharashtra. The new facilities will include toilets, health amenities, CCTV surveillance, and female security staff to ensure safety, hygiene, and dignity for women athletes. The minister also revealed plans to introduce water sports activities at Powai Lake, modelled on facilities in Dubai. “Padel-based water karting will soon be available at Powai Lake,” he announced.

The government is also drafting a new state youth policy aimed at the welfare and empowerment of the state’s youth. “We are seeking ideas and recommendations from young people to ensure that the new policy truly reflects their needs, challenges, and aspirations,” he said. Meanwhile, under the Government of India’s initiative marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, the state has launched the ‘Sardar@150 Unity March’.

District administrations, along with the Sports Department, MY Bharat, NSS, and NCC, will organise district-level marches of 8-10km. The programme will also include essay and debate competitions, discussions on Sardar Patel’s life, street plays, antidrug pledges, yoga and health camps, cleanliness drives, and cultural performances across Maharashtra.

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National News

WTC Points Table: Where Does Team India Stand After Registering Series Win Over West Indies?

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Shubman Gill registered his first series win as skipper after India won the second Test in Delhi by 7 wickets against West Indies on Tuesday, October 14 and inflicting whitewash in the two-match Test series. The latest results sees India keeping hold of their third spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.

Currently Australia lead the standings with a perfect Points Percentage (PCT) of 100, having won all three of their matches so far. Sri Lanka is second with a PCT of 66.67 from two matches, and India remains in third place after boosting their PCT to 61.9 with their fourth win in seven games. India’s unbeaten run against the West Indies now stretches to 27 consecutive Test matches.

England’s immediate focus will shift to arguably their most challenging fixture in the cycle, the Ashes series starting next month. Meanwhile, Pakistan and South Africa are currently in action at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the outcome expected by tomorrow (October 15) potentially influencing the table’s lower half.

According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, 12 points are awarded to a team for a win. A team gets six points for a tie and four points for a drawn game. All the teams are ranked according to the percentage of points won. Points are deducted for slow over rates. The top two teams will play the final in 2027.

Post the West Indies series, the Indian team will host South Africa for two Tests next month. Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens will host the first Test from November 14 to 18 while the second game will be played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati from November 22 to 26. The team then returns to the longest format against Afghanistan in a one-off Test match in June next year.

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