Saturday, July 11
At 26, Priya Saroj is a young MP from Uttar Pradesh's Machhlishahr constituency, having defeated BJP's BP Saroj. Initially pursuing a career in law, she transitioned into politics in 2024. Rumours of her engagement to cricketer Rinku Singh have been denied, though discussions between families are ongoing, emphasising the confluence of their successful careers.
Avishka Fernando delivers a scintillating performance, scoring a blistering 81 off just 27 balls to lead the Sharjah Warriorz to a record-breaking chase against the Dubai Capitals in ILT20. Shai Hope's 83 anchored the Capitals to 201/5, but Fernando’s fireworks ensured the Warriorz’ triumph.
The Sunrisers Eastern Cape return to form with a 58-run bonus point victory over Durban's Super Giants at Kingsmead. Zak Crawley, Tom Abell, and Marco Jansen led the batting effort, while Liam Dawson and Simon Harmer spearheaded a sharp bowling performance, restricting the Giants to 107.
Aakash Chopra is surprised by BCCI's new rule requiring players to travel together for matches and practices. He suggests the rule may have been introduced due to past misuse. The rule follows a review meeting after India's loss to Australia. Players must get permission to travel separately. Chopra stresses accountability for past exceptions.
Eva Lys, ranked 128th, became the first women's singles 'lucky loser' to reach the Australian Open fourth round since 1988. After losing in qualifying, she gained entry due to a withdrawal and won consecutive matches against Kimberly Birrell and Varvara Gracheva. Lys will now face second seed Iga Swiatek in her best major performance.
Durban's Super Giants suffered a 58-run defeat to Sunrisers Eastern Cape, their second home loss in the SA20 League. Head coach Lance Klusener expressed disappointment, citing a lack of aggression and failure to build partnerships. Despite superb bowling from Noor Ahmad, batting woes persist. Klusener stresses on self-reflection and improving batting to be competitive.
India's senior selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, will announce the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy in Mumbai on Saturday. Choices for the middle-order positions are crucial, with Shreyas Iyer being almost certain. The choice between all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja is pivotal, given Axar's recent form.
