Young Indian women’s cricket team opener Pratika Rawal made an impressive contribution with a solid 67 runs off 61 balls during the second ODI against Ireland at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday. Rawal, who had already scored a match-winning 89 in the first ODI, continued her excellent form in this match.

Teaming up with Smriti Mandhana, who scored 73, Rawal established a strong 156-run opening partnership, laying a solid foundation for the innings. Throughout her innings, Rawal displayed remarkable maturity beyond her years. Tejal Hasabnis also made a notable return, scoring a fifty, as India comfortably defeated the inexperienced Ireland team by six wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match women’s ODI series on Friday.

In the first ODI, Rawal was instrumental in anchoring the chase for 239 runs, following a brisk 41 from stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana, who made a career-best 89 off 96 balls, hitting 10 fours and one six. Hasabnis, who had not played ODI cricket since October 2024 against New Zealand, marked her comeback with an innings of 53 not out off 46 balls, striking nine boundaries.

Rawal and Hasabnis formed a match-winning partnership of 116 runs off 84 balls, leading India to victory with 93 balls remaining. Continuing her dominant form from the West Indies series, Mandhana scored a rapid 41 runs off just 29 balls, marked by six fours and a six, and, in doing so, became the second Indian and the 15th overall player to surpass 4,000 runs in ODIs.

Mandhana’s aggressive stroke play unsettled the Irish bowlers, especially in the eighth over against seamer Dempsey, where she struck a boundary, a six, and another four in quick succession. Rawal, who made her debut during the West Indies series, provided excellent support, and the pair successfully shared their third fifty-plus opening partnership in four matches.

Ireland managed to break through at the end of the powerplay when Mandhana mistimed a shot and was caught, falling just nine runs short of her half-century. Despite Harleen Deol (20) and Jemimah Rodrigues (9) looking promising early on, clever bowling by left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire (3/57 from 8 overs) temporarily halted India’s progress. Maguire successfully stumped Rodrigues, who was well out of her crease after stepping out excessively.

During this phase, India lost three wickets for just 46 runs. However, thanks to Mandhana’s explosive start, the team remained well on track. Ireland’s lack of experience was evident as they allowed 21 runs through extras, with Laura Delany particularly struggling in the bowling department, bowling two no-balls and delivering waist-high full tosses, which Hasabnis capitalized on with back-to-back boundaries.

Earlier, India’s fielding let Ireland off the hook as they dropped several catches, allowing visiting captain Gaby Lewis to score a classy 92 runs and lift her team to a competitive total of 238 for 7. Opting to bat first, Ireland faced early trouble at 56 for 4 by the 14th over. However, Lewis and Leah Paul (59 off 73 balls) mounted a recovery, adding 117 runs for the fifth wicket, marking the team’s first-ever century partnership against India.

Lewis’s innings came off 129 balls, featuring 15 boundaries, while the duo of Lewis and Paul navigated through the innings with calculated precision. India’s first breakthrough came from medium pacer Titas Sadhu, who took the wicket of Sarah Forbes (9) after a misplayed shot edged to slip where Deepti Sharma made the catch.

In their first trip to India, Ireland stumbled to 34 for 2 after a disastrous mix-up led to the run out of Una Raymond-Hoey (5), who attempted a single after hitting the ball directly to Jemimah Rodrigues in cover. Orla Prendergast (9) soon followed her back to the pavilion, stumped by Ghosh off the bowling of leg-spinner Priya Mishra (2/56), leaving Ireland in a precarious position at 56 for 3 by the 14th over.

Former Assam cricketer Devajit Saikia has been appointed as the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), succeeding Jay Shah, whose departure left the position unfilled for more than a month following his elevation to chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Saikia’s first official duty in his new position was to attend a meeting with BCCI president Roger Binny, where they discussed India’s recent performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Reports indicate that Indian team captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir were also in attendance.

According to reports, the meeting involved an in-depth analysis of the Indian team’s performance during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, addressing what went wrong and identifying necessary corrective actions. However, it was noted that there would not be any hasty decisions by the new BCCI leadership, especially with the Champions Trophy 2025 approaching in just a few weeks.

Hailing from Assam, Saikia brings a rich blend of experience in cricket, law, and administration to his new role. He played as a first-class cricketer from 1990 to 1991, participating in four matches as a wicketkeeper, scoring 53 runs, and making nine dismissals.

After his time in the field, Saikia pursued a legal career, beginning as a lawyer at the Gauhati High Court at the age of 28. Prior to his legal practice, he held positions in the Northern Frontier Railways and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under sports quota provisions.

Saikia ventured into cricket administration in 2016, becoming one of six vice presidents of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) during the presidency of Hemanta Biswa Sarma, who is now the Chief Minister of Assam. He later held the position of ACA secretary from 2019 before being elected as BCCI joint secretary in 2022.

At 55, Saikia reflects on his entry into cricket administration, asserting that he never intended to take on an administrative role but felt “compelled” to do so after witnessing corruption within Assam’s cricket administration. In a past interaction with broadcasters, he remarked, “It was never my intention to be a cricket or sports administrator. Even today, I don’t like being an administrator.”

The third edition of the International League T20 tournament was kicked off on January 11, featuring the Dubai Capitals facing off against MI Emirates in the inaugural match. The final match of the tournament will occur on February 9, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

This year’s competition includes six teams: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, and Sharjah Warriors. A total of 34 matches are scheduled, using a double round-robin format where each team will compete against one another twice. Following the league stage, the playoffs will begin on February 5.

The playoffs will consist of Qualifier 1, involving the top two teams from the group stage, followed by an Eliminator between the third and fourth-placed teams. The loser of Qualifier 1 will then play against the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2, with the winner advancing to face the winner of Qualifier 1 in the Final.

Matches for the International League T20 2025 will be hosted at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.

In the previous edition, MI Emirates claimed victory over Dubai Capitals in the final, winning by 45 runs.

As one of the most anticipated tournaments of the year, the International League T20 will showcase top players, including Allah Ghazanfar, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Fakhar Zaman, Aayan Afzal Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nicholas Pooran, and Adil Rashid.

Previous Edition’s Stats:

• Winners: MI Emirates
• Runners-up: Dubai Capitals
• Top Run Scorer: James Vince, Gulf Giants (356 Runs)
• Top Wicket Taker: Fazalhaq Farooqi, MI Emirates (17 Wickets)

Impact Players in Each Team:

1. MI Emirates: Romario Shepherd, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kieron Pollard, Andre Fletcher
2. Sharjah Warriors: Adil Rashid, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Harmeet Singh, Virandeep Singh
3. Gulf Giants: Dominic Drakes, Aayan Afzal Khan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Shimron Hetmyer
4. Dubai Capitals: Gulbadin Naib, Rovman Powell, Najibullah Zadran, Scott Kuggeleijn
5. Desert Vipers: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Amir, Sherfane Rutherford, Lockie Ferguson
6. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Allah Ghazanfar, Gudakesh Motie, Andries Gous, Charith Asalanka

Teams and Squads:

• Dubai Capitals: Adam Rossington, Brandon McMullen, Garuka Sanketh, Gulbadin Naib, Jeffrey Vandersay, Joe Burns, Joe Weatherley, Najibullah Zadran, Obed McCoy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Shai Hope, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Oliver Stone
• Gulf Giants: Adam Lyth, Dominic Drakes, Daniel Worrall, Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills, Wahidullah Zadran, Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zuhaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, Shimron Hetmyer
• Sharjah Warriors: Adam Milne, Adil Rashid, Ashton Agar, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Daniel Sams, Gus Atkinson, Harmeet Singh, Jason Roy, Karim Janat, Keemo Paul, Matthew Wade, Virandeep Singh, Tim Seifert, Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou, Tom Kohler-Cadmore
• MI Emirates: Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, Fareed Ahmad, Thomas Jack Draca, Ben Charlesworth, Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Waqar Salamkheil
• Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Gudakesh Motie, Hassan Khan, Roston Chase, Terrance Hinds, Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Ghous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper, Sunil Narine
• Desert Vipers: Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Fakhar Zaman, Lockie Ferguson, Max Holden, Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede (injured), Luke Wood, Michael Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri, Wanindu Hasaranga

Fixtures Schedule:

• January 11, Saturday
  Match 1: Dubai Capitals vs MI Emirates – Dubai
• January 12, Sunday
  Match 2: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Desert Vipers – Abu Dhabi
  Match 3: Gulf Giants vs Sharjah Warriors – Dubai
• January 13, Monday
  Match 4: MI Emirates vs Dubai Capitals – Abu Dhabi
• January 14, Tuesday
  Match 5: Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers – Dubai
• January 15, Wednesday
  Match 6: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Sharjah Warriors – Abu Dhabi
• January 16, Thursday
  Match 7: Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates – Dubai
• January 17, Friday
  Match 8: Sharjah Warriors vs Dubai Capitals – Sharjah
• January 18, Saturday
  Match 9: Desert Vipers vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – Dubai
  Match 10: Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals – Sharjah
• January 19, Sunday
  Match 11: Sharjah Warriors vs MI Emirates – Sharjah
  Match 12: Gulf Giants vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – Dubai
• January 20, Monday
  Match 13: Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers – Dubai
• January 21, Tuesday
  Match 14: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates – Abu Dhabi
• January 22, Wednesday
  Match 15: Desert Vipers vs Sharjah Warriors – Dubai
• January 23, Thursday
  Match 16: Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants – Dubai
• January 24, Friday
  Match 17: MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – Abu Dhabi
• January 25, Saturday
  Match 18: Sharjah Warriors vs Desert Vipers – Sharjah
  Match 19: MI Emirates vs Gulf Giants – Abu Dhabi
• January 26, Sunday
  Match 20: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Dubai Capitals – Abu Dhabi
  Match 21: Sharjah Warriors vs Gulf Giants – Sharjah
• January 27, Monday
  Match 22: MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers – Abu Dhabi
• January 28, Tuesday
  Match 23: Dubai Capitals vs Sharjah Warriors – Dubai
• January 29, Wednesday
  Match 24: Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants – Dubai
• January 30, Thursday
  Match 25: Sharjah Warriors vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – Sharjah
• January 31, Friday
  Match 26: Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates – Dubai
• February 1, Saturday
  Match 27: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants – Abu Dhabi
• February 2, Sunday
  Match 28: MI Emirates vs Sharjah Warriors – Abu Dhabi
  Match 29: Dubai Capitals vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – Dubai
• February 3, Monday
  Match 30: Desert Vipers vs Dubai Capitals – Sharjah
• February 5, Wednesday
  Qualifier 1 (31st Match): 1st Placed Team vs 2nd Placed Team – Dubai
• February 6, Thursday
  Eliminator (32nd Match): 3rd Placed Team vs 4th Placed Team – Abu Dhabi
• February 7, Friday
  Qualifier 2 (33rd Match): Eliminator Winner vs Qualifier 1 Loser – Sharjah
• February 9, Sunday
  Final Match (34th Match): TBA vs TBA – Dubai

Where to Watch ILT20 2025 Live on TV:
Indian cricket fans can catch the live telecast of the ILT20 2025 matches on ZEE Network TV channels.

Where to Watch ILT20 2025 Games Online in India:
The ILT20 2025 matches will be available for live streaming on the Fancode app and website.