soupsguide.com – Trusted Reports & Hot Commentary

The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh is set to host its inaugural international matches, with the Indian women's cricket team facing Australia in two ODIs on September 14 and 17. Despite concerns over recent heavy rainfall, the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) assures that the stadium's drainage system is fully equipped.

Pakistani cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed's playful Instagram post ignited social media ahead of the Asia Cup clash with India, drawing humorous reactions from fans. Despite the lighthearted moment, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif cautioned against over-exuberance, citing India's consistent performance under pressure. Latif emphasized Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah as key players for India, while acknowledging Pakistan's potential spin advantage.

India's bowlers orchestrated a dominant performance, securing a resounding nine-wicket victory against the UAE in their Asia Cup opener. Kuldeep Yadav's impressive 4 for 7 and Shivam Dube's 3 for 4 led to UAE being dismissed for a mere 57. India chased the target swiftly in 4.3 overs, with Yadav surpassing Ashwin and Patel's T20I wicket records.

The Duleep Trophy final features South Zone versus Central Zone. Star players are absent due to other commitments. This provides an opportunity for young talents to shine. Andre Siddarth and R Smaran are key players for South. Rajat Patidar and Danish Malewar are crucial for Central. The match is at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

The Asia Cup 2025 began with a funny incident in Dubai as Suryakumar Yadav's toss confusion briefly overshadowed the start. After winning the toss, Suryakumar's delay in communicating the decision to UAE's captain led to a lighthearted moment. India chose to bowl first on a fresh pitch, while both teams revealed their playing XIs, ready to compete.

Afghanistan started their Asia Cup campaign strongly, defeating Hong Kong by 94 runs. Sediqullah Atal's unbeaten 73 and Azmatullah Omarzai's quickfire 53 propelled Afghanistan to 188/6. Hong Kong's chase crumbled under the pressure of Afghanistan's disciplined bowling attack, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib, ultimately restricting them to just 94/9.

Arjun Tendulkar, son of Sachin Tendulkar, posted a puzzling message on social media. This happened after reports of his engagement to Saaniya Chandok. The private ceremony was attended by close family. Arjun plays domestic cricket for Goa and is with Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He has played first-class and List A matches.

Sikandar Raza surpassed Virat Kohli's record for the most Player of the Match awards in T20Is, achieving his 17th during Zimbabwe's victory against Sri Lanka. Raza's impressive performance, including 3 wickets for 11 runs, helped restrict Sri Lanka to a mere 80 runs. This accomplishment places him ahead of Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav among full-member nations.

Sanjay Bangar lauded Rishabh Pant's fearless batting and natural wicket-keeping talent, recalling Ashish Nehra's early prediction of his success. Pant's aggressive play during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy saw him amass 479 runs, including two centuries.

Shreyas Iyer will captain the 15-member India A squad against Australia A in Lucknow, with Dhruv Jurel as vice-captain. The series starts September 16. KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj will join the squad for the second match beginning September 23.

Pakistan's women's cricket team will not attend the ICC Women's World Cup opening ceremony in India, aligning with a recent agreement between the two nations to avoid cross-border travel for ICC tournaments. Political tensions continue to impact sporting relations, as evidenced by India's previous decision to skip the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Ross Taylor, the former New Zealand cricket star, is set to make a comeback to the sport after a four-year retirement. He will be representing Samoa, his mother's native country, in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup qualifying series. Taylor aims to contribute his extensive experience to the team and help Samoa secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's exciting return to form in recent matches has shown just how good he can be when he's firing on all cylinders. He had to cut short his IPL season due to ijnury and then and missed India A selection. Gaikwad scored a century in the Buchi Babu tournament in late August. He then followed it up on Thursday with another century in the Duleep Trophy semi-final for West Zone.

Rohit Sharma, India's ODI captain, was recently seen offering prayers to Lord Ganesha in Mumbai amidst a large crowd. Videos circulating online show the cricketer performing rituals and acknowledging fans, causing a chaotic scene around his car. He is expected to return to action in October for an ODI series in Australia, with a preparatory series planned beforehand.

Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to showcase his class in red-ball cricket after his stellar 184-run knock in the Duleep Trophy semis against Central Zone. His knock propelled the West Zone to put a fighting first-innings total.

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, admitted to intentionally violating broadcasting regulations during the inaugural IPL match in 2008 to maximize viewership, overriding Sony's exclusive rights. Despite potential legal repercussions, Modi prioritized widespread access to ensure the tournament's success. This decision later led to contract disputes, investigations, and legal proceedings against Modi regarding alleged favoritism towards World Sports Group.

Following heated exchanges in the India-England Test series, former cricketers debated introducing yellow and red cards. David Lloyd, recalling his time on the umpires' selection committee, advocated for stricter penalties. The panel suggested using cards for incidents like Mohammed Siraj's barge and the Gill-Crawley face-off, proposing a traffic-light system for warnings and escalating punishments.

Rivaba Jadeja, BJP MLA and wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, enlivened G.D. Shah High School's Sports Day in Jamnagar. She actively participated in traditional games like kabaddi and tug-of-war alongside students, creating an energetic atmosphere. Clips of the same were shared on her social media handle and have gone viral.

Shreyas Iyer's Asia Cup snub puts him in the spotlight as he aims to prove his worth in the Duleep Trophy semifinal. West Zone boasts a star-studded lineup, while Central Zone relies on Patidar's form. Injury concerns plague both zones, while South and North Zone face off in the other semifinal, each grappling with squad changes and player unavailability.

After an old video of an Irfan Pathan interview resurfaced on social media and resulted in a massive speculation and debate on the way MS Dhoni managed the dressing room, Pathan himself has come forward to address the same. The former India all-rounder explained that his comments are being twisted and taken in a different context than intended, that too, half-a-decade after it came out.