2 hours ago
India will play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan starting September 13.
However, there's something unusual about seeing Afghanistan listed as the home side on a scorecard at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The visitors are India, playing in their own capital city, against a team that is technically the host.
It looks strange at a glance, but The Sporting News breaks it down for you.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
#afghanistan #sporting #t20i #september
However, there's something unusual about seeing Afghanistan listed as the home side on a scorecard at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The visitors are India, playing in their own capital city, against a team that is technically the host.
It looks strange at a glance, but The Sporting News breaks it down for you.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
#afghanistan #sporting #t20i #september
13 hours ago
NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's time will come, but feels India should currently stick with the top-three combination that delivered the 2026 T20 World Cup ******* le, backing Sanju Samson to reclaim his place alongside Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan.
Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, was dropped after a string of low scores on the tour of England. Sooryavanshi was subsequently handed his international debut in Manchester and also opened during the T20Is against Zimbabwe.
With Samson now recalled for the three-match home series against Afghanistan, beginning at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, Rahane believes the experienced batter should return to the top order.
"I feel the top three should be the same that played in the World Cup. Samson has done well, but he got dropped after two or three bad innings. I want him to get another chance. Abhishek and Ishan also did well for us," Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel on Friday.
"Vaibhav will get his opportunities, and his time will come. But for now, I feel the top three should be Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan, who were our contributors in the World Cup," he added.
Rahane welcomed Samson's return while pointing to the batter's impact during India's World Cup-winning campaign.
"I am happy to see Sanju Samson back in the team. He was the 'Man of the Series' in the World Cup. It has been up and down, and things were happening to him that were not in his control. But he is a match-winner, and his return strengthens the team," Rahane said.
For Sooryavanshi, Rahane's message was one of patience and freedom. The 15-year-old has made a rapid rise through domestic and franchise cricket, but the former India batter believes the teenager should not overthink his early international career.
"I think he should just play his game right now. He should back the game that led him to come into the Indian team. It is a very early stage for him in his career and in international cricket," Rahane said.
"As of now, there is no need for him to think a lot, and he should be set free. His game will eventually change after two or three years, as much as he keeps playing. It will be important for him to maintain balance. Apart from cricket skills, it is important to stay balanced off the field. That will be a challenge for him."
Sooryavanshi has already provided plenty of evidence of his ability. During the Duleep Trophy, he became the youngest player to score a half-century in the competition, reaching the landmark at 15 years and 175 days.
He made 92 off 81 ******* for East Zone, reaching his fifty from just 42 deliveries and breaking a 57-year-old record previously held by Laxman Singh, who was 16 years and 23 days old when he scored his Duleep Trophy fifty in 1969.
Rahane believes the teenager's next challenge is not
Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, was dropped after a string of low scores on the tour of England. Sooryavanshi was subsequently handed his international debut in Manchester and also opened during the T20Is against Zimbabwe.
With Samson now recalled for the three-match home series against Afghanistan, beginning at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, Rahane believes the experienced batter should return to the top order.
"I feel the top three should be the same that played in the World Cup. Samson has done well, but he got dropped after two or three bad innings. I want him to get another chance. Abhishek and Ishan also did well for us," Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel on Friday.
"Vaibhav will get his opportunities, and his time will come. But for now, I feel the top three should be Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan, who were our contributors in the World Cup," he added.
Rahane welcomed Samson's return while pointing to the batter's impact during India's World Cup-winning campaign.
"I am happy to see Sanju Samson back in the team. He was the 'Man of the Series' in the World Cup. It has been up and down, and things were happening to him that were not in his control. But he is a match-winner, and his return strengthens the team," Rahane said.
For Sooryavanshi, Rahane's message was one of patience and freedom. The 15-year-old has made a rapid rise through domestic and franchise cricket, but the former India batter believes the teenager should not overthink his early international career.
"I think he should just play his game right now. He should back the game that led him to come into the Indian team. It is a very early stage for him in his career and in international cricket," Rahane said.
"As of now, there is no need for him to think a lot, and he should be set free. His game will eventually change after two or three years, as much as he keeps playing. It will be important for him to maintain balance. Apart from cricket skills, it is important to stay balanced off the field. That will be a challenge for him."
Sooryavanshi has already provided plenty of evidence of his ability. During the Duleep Trophy, he became the youngest player to score a half-century in the competition, reaching the landmark at 15 years and 175 days.
He made 92 off 81 ******* for East Zone, reaching his fifty from just 42 deliveries and breaking a 57-year-old record previously held by Laxman Singh, who was 16 years and 23 days old when he scored his Duleep Trophy fifty in 1969.
Rahane believes the teenager's next challenge is not
2 days ago
The first T20I between India and Afghanistan in New Delhi will go ahead as scheduled on September 13 despite concerns over security arrangements in the national capital during the BRICS Summit.
The match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium had come under a cloud of uncertainty after the Delhi Police sought a change in the schedule because of the security requirements surrounding the high-profile summit. The Delhi District Cricket ****** ociation (DDCA), however, said on Thursday evening that there would be no change to the match date.
"India–Afghanistan 1st T20I on 13 September at Arun Jaitley Stadium will go ahead as scheduled. Following a meeting with Delhi Traffic Police, DDCA has been ****** ured of all necessary support and arrangements," the ****** ociation said in a social media post.
The Afghanistan-India series will consist of three T20Is, with all matches being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will run from September 13 to September 17.
India vs Afghanistan T20I schedule:
1st T20I: September 13, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
2nd T20I: September 15, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
3rd T20I: September 17, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
#t20i #jaitley
The match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium had come under a cloud of uncertainty after the Delhi Police sought a change in the schedule because of the security requirements surrounding the high-profile summit. The Delhi District Cricket ****** ociation (DDCA), however, said on Thursday evening that there would be no change to the match date.
"India–Afghanistan 1st T20I on 13 September at Arun Jaitley Stadium will go ahead as scheduled. Following a meeting with Delhi Traffic Police, DDCA has been ****** ured of all necessary support and arrangements," the ****** ociation said in a social media post.
The Afghanistan-India series will consist of three T20Is, with all matches being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will run from September 13 to September 17.
India vs Afghanistan T20I schedule:
1st T20I: September 13, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
2nd T20I: September 15, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
3rd T20I: September 17, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
#t20i #jaitley
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12 days ago
New Delhi: A controversy is never far from Delhi cricket. As the third edition of the Delhi Premier League T20 comes to a close, Delhi and District Cricket ******* ociation (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley spoke to TOI on the pressing issues...
How has the DPL benefitted Delhi cricket so far?
DPL has been consistently throwing up names who are fetching good prices in the IPL. We expect a few more this year. But it has turned around the women's game altogether. The senior Delhi team won the women's national one-day tournament. The U-23 team has won once and finished runners-up once.
How does it impact the revenue?
All I can say is that the DDCA can now take care of the expenses for all the Delhi state teams across age-groups and genders throughout the year with the profit we make from this league.
There have been doubts cast on quality of players playing, especially with the Dev Chaudhary controversy...
DDCA, by principle, revisits every regulation of the league after each season. I feel for the boy for what he has to go through.
What's the plan with the new stadium?
We have identified two spots in Delhi. One is the landfill in Okhla and the other is near Badarpur. We are in the process of finalising the venue to build a stadium with 70-80k capacity. We are in talks with BCCI to come up with suggestions or a collaboration to create a state-of-the-art facility.
Many players avoid playing Ranji Trophy and just focus on T20 leagues...
That is something we have observed, especially with a few senior fast bowlers. We will keep a close watch on them this season. If they dodge Ranji Trophy, they will not be considered for Delhi in other formats.
#senior
How has the DPL benefitted Delhi cricket so far?
DPL has been consistently throwing up names who are fetching good prices in the IPL. We expect a few more this year. But it has turned around the women's game altogether. The senior Delhi team won the women's national one-day tournament. The U-23 team has won once and finished runners-up once.
How does it impact the revenue?
All I can say is that the DDCA can now take care of the expenses for all the Delhi state teams across age-groups and genders throughout the year with the profit we make from this league.
There have been doubts cast on quality of players playing, especially with the Dev Chaudhary controversy...
DDCA, by principle, revisits every regulation of the league after each season. I feel for the boy for what he has to go through.
What's the plan with the new stadium?
We have identified two spots in Delhi. One is the landfill in Okhla and the other is near Badarpur. We are in the process of finalising the venue to build a stadium with 70-80k capacity. We are in talks with BCCI to come up with suggestions or a collaboration to create a state-of-the-art facility.
Many players avoid playing Ranji Trophy and just focus on T20 leagues...
That is something we have observed, especially with a few senior fast bowlers. We will keep a close watch on them this season. If they dodge Ranji Trophy, they will not be considered for Delhi in other formats.
#senior
1 month ago
Delhi Premier League 2026 schedule: Fixtures, score, format, squads and live streaming for DPL season 3 matches originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 takes place from July 31 to August 30, 2026.
Eight teams compete in a 44-match T20 tournament at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It follows a league stage and playoffs before the final on August 30.
DPL 2026:Overview | Format | Schedule & scores | Standings table | Squads | Where to watch
#premier
Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 takes place from July 31 to August 30, 2026.
Eight teams compete in a 44-match T20 tournament at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It follows a league stage and playoffs before the final on August 30.
DPL 2026:Overview | Format | Schedule & scores | Standings table | Squads | Where to watch
#premier
1 month ago
NEW DELHI: There was a time when Auqib Nabi didn't own a pair of bowling spikes.
For his first U-19 trial in Jammu & Kashmir, the fast bowler from Baramulla borrowed a pair from a friend. When he eventually earned selection, fate threw up another twist. The friend who had lent him the spikes didn't make the squad. Auqib borrowed another pair from him and played his entire first U-19 tournament in borrowed shoes.
Today, Auqib is making a name for himself with a skill that many fast bowlers spend years trying to master: the ability to swing the ball both ways. He has now earned his maiden India call-up, with the 29-year-old seamer from Jammu & Kashmir replacing the injured Jasprit ******* rah in India's Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Nabi has picked up 104 wickets over the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, virtually breaking the selection door down with his performances. He was also part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka recently, where he claimed six wickets in two First Class matches.
Yet, the road to the Indian dressing room wasn't built in fancy academies or elite fast-bowling programmes. It was shaped by a long journey, borrowed equipment and an obsession with learning.
"My parents are government school teachers. Initially, they wanted me to focus on studies, which was natural. Cricket wasn't something we had planned. A friend told me about the Under-19 trials. Until then, I didn't even know they were happening," Auqib had told reporters after picking up a five-wicket haul on the opening day of the Delhi vs Jammu & Kashmir Ranji Trophy match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in November 2025.
Like countless youngsters in Kashmir, his cricketing education began with tennis-ball matches. The transition to leather-ball cricket, however, brought a different challenge.
"The most basic thing a fast bowler needs is a turf wicket," he had said. "Baramulla had turf, but you couldn't bowl there wearing spikes. So I had to travel to Srinagar to practice."
The one-and-a-half-hour journey from Baramulla to Srinagar became part of his routine. Hours on the road simply to bowl a few overs on a proper surface. For many aspiring cricketers, inadequate facilities become a convenient excuse. Auqib never allowed himself that luxury.
"If you want to play for India, these things cannot become excuses. If you want it badly enough, you have to do it."
That philosophy continues to define him.
The philosophy kept motivating him day in and day out, but it was his obsession with learning that made him the bowler he is today.
"When he first joined the J&K team for the Buchi Babu Trophy in Salem in 2023, he could only bowl the outswinger. But he wanted to bowl both ways. So I started working on his inswing," P. Krishnakumar, Jammu & Kashmir's bowling coach, told TimesofIndia.com.
"He has a great wrist position, which is one of his biggest strengths," he said.
There were no shortcuts, and Nabi knew it. He started working on
For his first U-19 trial in Jammu & Kashmir, the fast bowler from Baramulla borrowed a pair from a friend. When he eventually earned selection, fate threw up another twist. The friend who had lent him the spikes didn't make the squad. Auqib borrowed another pair from him and played his entire first U-19 tournament in borrowed shoes.
Today, Auqib is making a name for himself with a skill that many fast bowlers spend years trying to master: the ability to swing the ball both ways. He has now earned his maiden India call-up, with the 29-year-old seamer from Jammu & Kashmir replacing the injured Jasprit ******* rah in India's Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Nabi has picked up 104 wickets over the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, virtually breaking the selection door down with his performances. He was also part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka recently, where he claimed six wickets in two First Class matches.
Yet, the road to the Indian dressing room wasn't built in fancy academies or elite fast-bowling programmes. It was shaped by a long journey, borrowed equipment and an obsession with learning.
"My parents are government school teachers. Initially, they wanted me to focus on studies, which was natural. Cricket wasn't something we had planned. A friend told me about the Under-19 trials. Until then, I didn't even know they were happening," Auqib had told reporters after picking up a five-wicket haul on the opening day of the Delhi vs Jammu & Kashmir Ranji Trophy match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in November 2025.
Like countless youngsters in Kashmir, his cricketing education began with tennis-ball matches. The transition to leather-ball cricket, however, brought a different challenge.
"The most basic thing a fast bowler needs is a turf wicket," he had said. "Baramulla had turf, but you couldn't bowl there wearing spikes. So I had to travel to Srinagar to practice."
The one-and-a-half-hour journey from Baramulla to Srinagar became part of his routine. Hours on the road simply to bowl a few overs on a proper surface. For many aspiring cricketers, inadequate facilities become a convenient excuse. Auqib never allowed himself that luxury.
"If you want to play for India, these things cannot become excuses. If you want it badly enough, you have to do it."
That philosophy continues to define him.
The philosophy kept motivating him day in and day out, but it was his obsession with learning that made him the bowler he is today.
"When he first joined the J&K team for the Buchi Babu Trophy in Salem in 2023, he could only bowl the outswinger. But he wanted to bowl both ways. So I started working on his inswing," P. Krishnakumar, Jammu & Kashmir's bowling coach, told TimesofIndia.com.
"He has a great wrist position, which is one of his biggest strengths," he said.
There were no shortcuts, and Nabi knew it. He started working on
1 month ago
Delhi Premier League 2026 schedule: Fixtures, score, format, squads and live streaming for DPL season 3 matches originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 takes place from July 31 to August 30, 2026.
Eight teams compete in a 44-match T20 tournament at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It follows a league stage and playoffs before the final on August 30.
DPL 2026:Overview | Format | Schedule & scores | Standings table | Squads | Where to watch
#schedule #squads
Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 takes place from July 31 to August 30, 2026.
Eight teams compete in a 44-match T20 tournament at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It follows a league stage and playoffs before the final on August 30.
DPL 2026:Overview | Format | Schedule & scores | Standings table | Squads | Where to watch
#schedule #squads
