Sports
Upcoming season of WBBL to be staged across Australia after two years of disruption

Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday announced that the upcoming season of women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), comprising 59 matches, will be staged all across Australia after two years of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and state border closures.
The eighth edition of the tournament will begin with Brisbane Heat hosting rivals Sydney Sixers under lights in Mackay on Thursday, October 13 and the final is scheduled for November 27. Matches will be staged in all six states as well as the ACT, with a total of 14 metro and regional venues to host games.
The return of WBBL to teams playing at their home venues is a piece of joyful news for fans of Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars, with the clubs set to host matches in Victoria for the first time since 2019 as matches will be played at Junction Oval, Ballarat’s Eastern Oval and Moe’s Ted Summerton Reserve.
“The WBBL evolving into more of a prime time competition is exactly what it merits and it’s a great evolution for the competition. I think those festival weekends have proven really popular, and I think the players really enjoy them and fans love being able to see lots of cricket on one weekend.”
“But equally, in previous years we’ve had smaller festivals midweek, which is what we’ve been able to largely avoid this year and been able to move those midweek games into more standalone matches. More than ever, we’ve got one-off matches on an individual night, which just lends itself to sort of bigger crowds and bigger audiences. Ultimately, I think it’s one of the strongest schedules we’ve had, if not the strongest since we moved to a standalone season,” Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s Head of the Big Bash, was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
Sydney Sixers fans will be able to watch the Sixers and Sydney Thunder at North Sydney Oval and Blacktown International Sportspark, while the Thunder will also host a game at Canberra’s Manuka Oval. Hobart Hurricanes also make a return to hosting matches at Blundstone Arena and Latrobe Recreation Ground.
Brisbane Heat will return to the redeveloped Allan Border Field for the first time since 2019, while Adelaide Strikers will host Melbourne Stars at Nuriootpa’s Centennial Park and also at the Karen Rolton Oval. Perth Scorchers will once again host matches at both the WACA Ground and their popular Lilac Hill festival venue
Dobson pointed out that the WBBL has avoided a clash with the Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held from October 16 to November 13. “Ultimately, (the World Cup) hasn’t caused us too much disruption, partly because the venue mix is pretty separate and equally, the Australian matches in the World Cup are something we’ve been able to avoid.”
Perth Scorchers are the defending champions of the competition, defeating Adelaide Strikers in the final last year.
Crime
Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.
Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.
The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.
In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.
The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.
National
India’s AI Tech Spending Projected To Reach Rs. 92 Thousand Crore By 2028: Report

India’s AI technology spending is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 38 per cent from 2023 to reach $10.4 billion (approximately Rs. 92 thousand crore) in 2028, a report said on Thursday.
Around 40 per cent of organisations in India have already implemented agentic AI, and close to 50 per cent are planning to use the technology within the next 12 months, IDC InfoBrief and UiPath said in a joint report.
In 2025, AI investments are focused on building the foundational infrastructure required to power transformative, high-value use cases.
According to the report, the adoption is surging, fueled by a tech-savvy workforce, expanding digital infrastructure, and government-backed initiatives.
Organisations’ spending on enterprise automation, multilingual AI models, and agentic deployments is driving this momentum further.
The benefits are already visible, as 80 per cent of Indian companies say agentic AI boosts productivity, while 73 per cent say it improves decision-making, the report said.
According to the report, agentic AI is gaining strong traction across the manufacturing, retail and wholesale, healthcare, and life sciences industries, which heavily rely on data and repetitive decision-making cycles.
“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across India. While enterprises in this region are embracing the full potential of AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex business processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.
Our agentic automation platform directly addresses these challenges, breaking down barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving accuracy and reliability for agentic outcomes, Sengupta added.
About 69 per cent of Indian organisations are using agentic AI to enhance productivity, 59 per cent to drive personalised customer engagement, while 57 per cent apply it to risk and fraud detection, highlighting how agentic AI is being applied across front and back-office functions, the report highlighted.
“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option in today’s unpredictable climate. For many organisations, it’s fast becoming a strategic necessity,” said Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific.
Across the region, organisations are embracing agentic AI and agentic automation at scale, Giri added.
Maharashtra
MUMBAI’S CRICKET MUSEUM SET TO OPEN SOON

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is pleased to announce the upcoming inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum in the second half of August 2025. Located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the museum is a tribute to Mumbai’s rich cricketing heritage and the legendary figures who have shaped its success.
At the museum’s entrance, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Shri Sharad Pawar and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar who remains one of Mumbai’s and India’s most iconic sporting figures. Gavaskar’s statue, in particular, stands as a symbol of excellence and dedication that will inspire aspiring young cricketers for generations to come.
The highlight of the museum is a priceless collection of rare and iconic memorabilia donated by Mumbai’s legendary cricketers. These historic items reflect the deep-rooted legacy of Mumbai cricket and its contribution to Indian and world cricket.
The museum also features a cutting-edge audio-visual experience centre, bringing to life the stories, milestones, and memorable moments of Mumbai’s cricketing journey.
“The MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum is our heartfelt tribute to the stalwarts of Mumbai cricket and a testament to the visionary leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar. This museum stands as a living chronicle of Mumbai cricket’s unparalleled legacy, dedicated to preserving its rich history and inspiring future generations.
The statue of Shri Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing legends, will serve as a powerful symbol of excellence and determination. His monumental contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket will continue to motivate young cricketers to dream big and aim high,” said MCA President Shri Ajinkya Naik.
“The MCA invites all cricket lovers and the public to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind tribute to Mumbai cricket” said Shri Abhay Hadap, Secretary MCA.
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