Author: Priya Menon

Mumbai’s young opening batter Ira Jadhav was honoured with the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic) at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 held on March 15. The 16-year-old received the recognition following her impactful performances in the Women’s Under-19 One Day Trophy, where her aggressive batting displays drew widespread attention. Jadhav’s most remarkable innings came against Meghalaya in Alur, when she struck an unbeaten 346 from 157 deliveries to guide Mumbai to a massive total of 563 for 3. Her knock featured 42 boundaries and 16 sixes, played at a strike rate of 220.38. Meghalaya were bowled out…

New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first White Ferns spinner and only the second bowler after former skipper Sophie Devine to claim 100 wickets in Women’s T20 Internationals. She also became the second-fastest player, in terms of matches (93), to complete the double of 100 wickets and 1,000 runs in the format, after Hong Kong’s Kary Chan. The landmark came during New Zealand’s ongoing white-ball series at home against South Africa, which features a five-match T20I leg followed by a three-match ODI series scheduled from March 15 to April 4, 2026. New Zealand had…

Australia’s upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies in St Vincent has taken on added importance as the team continues preparations for the Women’s T20 World Cup later this year. The fixtures mark Australia’s final scheduled matches before the June tournament in England, although an additional series against South Africa is expected once both teams arrive in the UK. The series follows a rare T20I defeat to India last month at the beginning of the Sophie Molineux era. India claimed the T20I leg 2-1 in the multi-format contest, even though Australia ultimately secured the overall series convincingly by a 12-4…

Indian cricket has long been known for producing quality spin bowlers, and in recent times, young slow left-arm orthodox bowler N Sree Charani has emerged as a promising talent. Her impressive performances during the 2024–25 season earned her the Best International Debutant honour at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026, marking a significant milestone early in her career. Charani made her ODI debut for India on April 27, 2025, against Sri Lanka. In her first international appearance, she displayed composure and control, claiming two wickets in eight overs while maintaining an economy rate of 3.25. Two months later, she featured in…

India opener and Haryana captain Shafali Verma was presented with the prestigious Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Senior Domestic One Day) at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 held on March 15. The honour recognised her outstanding performances during the 2024–25 Senior Women’s One Day Trophy campaign. The 22-year-old delivered an exceptional tournament, scoring 527 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 152.31 and an average of 75.28. Her tally included two half-centuries and two centuries, while she also contributed with the ball by claiming eight wickets at an average of 33.62 and an economy rate of…

South Africa all-rounder Dane van Niekerk has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing tour of New Zealand due to injury. Cricket South Africa confirmed that the 32-year-old is dealing with a right calf problem after experiencing discomfort ahead of the opening Women’s T20I between the two sides. She did not feature in that match and will now miss the rest of the T20I series as well as the subsequent three-match ODI leg. Anneke Bosch has been called up to replace van Niekerk in the squad. Van Niekerk had only recently returned to the T20I setup in December…

Former India captain Mithali Raj believes her long-held aspiration of seeing Indian cricket dominate on the world stage is now materialising, following a series of major international successes achieved by the men’s, women’s and junior teams in recent years. India’s men’s side ended a prolonged title drought by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, while the women’s team secured their maiden ICC trophy by clinching the ODI World Cup last year. The country’s influence has also extended to the junior level, with India’s under-19 teams lifting global titles in recent seasons, strengthening their reputation as a leading force in international…

South Africa produced a comprehensive performance in Hamilton on Tuesday, defeating New Zealand by 18 runs to level the five-match T20I series at 1-1. Tazmin Brits’ brisk half-century and Ayabonga Khaka’s four-wicket haul formed the cornerstone of the victory, while several other contributions ensured the visitors maintained control across both innings. South Africa posted 177 for 5 after opting to bat first, with Brits striking a 35-ball fifty to set the tone. Laura Wolvaardt anchored the latter stages with an unbeaten 41 from 33 deliveries, while Sune Luus provided early momentum during the Powerplay. Kayla Reyneke then delivered a late…

Former India captain Mithali Raj’s illustrious career was celebrated at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 held on March 15 in New Delhi, where the 43-year-old received the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women. The honour, the highest conferred by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on former players, recognised her exceptional contribution to the growth and success of women’s cricket in the country. Mithali’s international journey began with her ODI debut against Ireland at Milton Keynes on June 26, 1999, marking the start of a career that spanned more than two decades. As captain, she led India to…

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the nominees for the Women’s Player of the Month award for February 2026, featuring standout performers from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India. Harshitha Samarawickrama, Fatima Sana and Arundhati Reddy earned recognition following impressive contributions for their respective national sides. Sri Lanka’s top-order batter Harshitha Samarawickrama played a crucial role in her team’s ODI series victory over West Indies. She finished as the leading run-scorer of the three-match contest, accumulating 171 runs at an average of 57.00. Her scores of 66, 35 and 70 underlined her consistency and reliability at the top of the…