The big story: India Women complete their fourth win on the bounce

The Indian women’s team, under Harmanpreet Kaur, continued to impress and easily managed to down a hapless Sri Lanka by 59 runs in Bangkok on Thursday. India’s all-round game simply overpowered the Lankans, who were set a stiff target of 122 courtesy veteran Mithali Raj’s fighting half-century. Raj scored 62 from 59 balls and held the Indian innings together.

In reply, only two Sri Lankan batters got to double figures as they could come up with only 69 in their quota of overs for the loss of nine wickets. India play their final group match against Nepal on Friday, and have already qualified for the final. Kaur’s side have now made it four wins from four with the win.

Other top stories

  1. After getting shot out for 99 in the first innings, Bengal staged a remarkable fightback in their Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai to take a second innings lead in excess of 300. Captain Manoj Tiwary and Sudip Chatterjee scored hundreds for Bengal. 
  2. Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that a change in delivery stride and bowling action as the reason behind his outstanding displays over the last year. Ashwin currently heads the bowlers list in the International Cricket Council rankings. 
  3. Durham opener Keaton Jennings celebrated his call-up to the England side for their last two Tests against India with a punishing century against United Arab Emirates, representing England Lions. Keaton, the son of former South African coach Ray Jennings, has taken the place of injured opener Haseeb Hameed. 
  4. New Zealand cricket has promised to introduce “concussion substitutes” in this year’s domestic limited-overs competitions. The experiment has already been tested in Australia, where a like for like replacement will take the pitch if the medical team, midway through the game decides that the player is not fit. In New Zealand, it will be the 12th man who will take the field once given the go-ahead.
  5. The Kerala Cricket Association has issued a show cause notice to their star player Sanju Samson for violating the code of conduct during the Ranji Trophy matches this season. The KCA levied a number of allegations against the 21-year-old, including going missing from his hotel room and not being in his whites when he took the field in Cuttack while playing Tripura. 
  6. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal have declared themselves fit for Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa later in the month. Both players missed the Tests against Zimbabwe and the tri-series that followed.
  7. New Zealand have called up unknown pacer Lockie Ferguson for the upcoming Chappell-Hadlee series. Certain observers in the New Zealand cricket circles have stated that the 25-year-old, who can clock upto speeds in excess of 150 mph, brings back memories of pace great Shane Bond.