London, June 27 (IANS) South Africa will face Bangladesh in match 29 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on Sunday. With a place in the semifinals still up for grabs, this promises to be one of the most important games of the tournament.The qualification race in Group 1 remains wide open. South Africa and India are both tied on six points, but only one of them is likely to progress alongside Australia. For South Africa, the first task is very clear. The Prot…

London, June 27 (IANS) Defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner said he is confident his decision to skip a grass-court warm-up tournament will not hinder his title defence, insisting he and his team have used the past few weeks to prepare as thoroughly as possible ahead of the Championships.Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference at the All England Club on Saturday, the world No. 1 explained why he believes his different approach leaves him mentally ready for his opening-round clash w…

Bristol, June 27 (IANS) Pakistan closed their 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup campaign on a high by defeating the Netherlands by 37 runs at the County Ground on Saturday. Fatima Sana got the win for Pakistan with a triple‑wicket maiden to end up with 3-12, while Ayesha Zafar chipped in with 3-13 of her own as the Netherlands were bowled out for 89 in 18 overs.The Netherlands, playing their first‑ever T20 World Cup, showed plenty of heart, but fell short in the chase after Babette de Leede (30) …

London, June 27 (IANS) Few group-stage fixtures carry the weight of India versus Australia, and Sunday’s meeting at Lord’s promises exactly that. With the Women’s T20 World Cup knockout stage approaching, both teams have plenty riding on the outcome despite occupying contrasting positions in Group 1.Australia have been virtually flawless throughout the tournament, collecting maximum points from four matches and establishing themselves as the benchmark once again. Their impressive net run rate me…

Bristol, June 27 (IANS) The Netherlands fast bowler Iris Zwilling expressed satisfaction with her bowling effort of 2-19 against Pakistan in the ongoing 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, saying she’s glad that the plan of hitting the deck hard finally clicked at the County Ground in Bristol on Saturday.Iris’ spell of 2-19, based around bowling tight lines, was the standout bowling effort for the Netherlands in restricting Pakistan to 126/6. “I think all tournament we’ve been kind of discussi…

Belfast, June 28 (IANS) India will have little time to dwell on their shock defeat in the series opener as they return to the Civil Service Cricket Club on Sunday for a must-win second and final T20I against a confident Ireland side eager to script another piece of history.The reigning T20 World Cup champions were outplayed in all three departments of the game on Friday as Ireland recovered from 36/3 to post 182/9 before dismissing India for 148 to register their first-ever T20I victory over the…

Bad Homburg (Germany), June 27 (IANS) Karolina Muchova captured the Bad Homburg Open title on Saturday after Naomi Osaka was forced to retire with a foot injury early in the second set, ending a final that had been firmly under the Czech’s control.The 11th seed in the PIF WTA Rankings needed just 46 minutes to move within touching distance of the championship before Osaka, hampered by a foot problem that required treatment during the opening set, decided she could not continue. Muchova was ahead…

New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) India opener Shafali Verma has credited a conscious decision to simplify her batting for her improved run-scoring at the ongoing tournament, saying the mental reset that followed the Pakistan match has helped her play with greater freedom ahead of India’s crucial final group-stage encounter against Australia.Speaking before the must-win fixture, Shafali also reflected on her batting approach, bowling responsibilities, India’s fielding efforts, and the confidence the tea…

Bristol, June 27 (IANS) Pakistan’s batting effort against the Netherlands in their crucial clash in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the County Ground in Bristol followed a familiar script – promise early on, but a collapse at the death would squander those efforts.From 102/2 after 15 overs with Gull Feroza hitting 63 not out off 52 balls, Pakistan lost four wickets for just 24 runs to finish at 126/6 in their 20 overs. It leaves the Netherlands a modest target of 127 to chase if they are t…

Ujjain (MP), June 27 (IANS) Ujjain Falcons may have narrowly missed out on a place in the semifinals of the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026, but the franchise believes the season has laid a strong foundation for future success both on and off the field.The Ujjain Falcons concluded their campaign with back-to-back victories and several standout individual performances, showcasing the potential of a young and promising squad.Throughout the tournament, the team demonstrated resilie…