June 26, 2025
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Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh smashes decade-old 200m medley world record; sets second world record in meet | More sports News

Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh smashes decade-old 200m medley world record; sets second world record in meet | More sports News

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File photo of Summer Mcintosh of Team Canada during the World Aquatics Swimming Championships 2024 at Duna Arena on December 15, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Getty Images) Montreal: Summer McIntosh smashed the decade-old world record in the women’s 200m individual medley on Monday, touching the wall in 2min 05.70sec for her second record at the Canadian swimming trials.The 18-year-old eclipsed Hungarian Katinka Hosszu’s mark of 2:06.12 set at the 2015 World Championships to become the first woman to duck under 2:06.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!It was triple Olympic gold medallist McIntosh’s second world record of the meet following her 400m freestyle world record on Saturday.The gifted Canadian teenager had also impressed during Sunday’s victory in the 800m freestyle, clocking the third-fastest time in history in an event not typically regarded as her strongest.Yet McIntosh showed no signs of fatigue with another dazzling performance to delight the crowd in British Columbia on Monday.“Overall really happy with that time and always just trying to keep pushing forward,” McIntosh said after her record-breaking display. “It’s awesome. 200IM is my main race out of my top five or six races where I really have to execute perfectly.“There’s no room for mistakes and it’s kind of a sprint event for me, so I’m really happy with that. It gives me a lot of confidence heading into Singapore,” added McIntosh, referring to next month’s World Championships.Asked how she had prepared herself for Monday’s effort after a gruelling weekend, she added: “Just recovering, sleeping as much as possible and eating a lot.“And also mentally calming myself down and taking it one race at a time.“I’ve had a lot of practice at that these past few years.”McIntosh laid the foundations for her assault on the record with flawless opening sections in the butterfly and backstroke before an improved breaststroke — her weakest discipline — left her on world record pace.From there she turned on the after-burners in the closing freestyle to obliterate Hosszu’s record.Mary-Sophie Harvey trailed in second in 2:08.78 with Ashley McMillan third in 2:12.08.

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OH NO! TNPL player's bat breaks in the middle, hits bowler on the leg; watch video | Cricket News

OH NO! TNPL player’s bat breaks in the middle, hits bowler on the leg; watch video | Cricket News

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In an unforgettable moment during a Tamil Nadu Premier League clash, K Aashiq’s bat unexpectedly splintered mid-swing, hitting bowler Emmanuel Cherian. This peculiar incident unfolded as the Chepauk Super Gillies triumphed over Nellai Royal Kings by 41 runs. Chepauk Super Gillies amassed a formidable score of 212 for 7, with Aashiq contributing a solid 54. A bizarre incident occurred during Monday’s Tamil Nadu Premier League cricket match at SNR College Cricket Ground in Coimbatore when K Aashiq’s bat broke mid-shot and struck bowler Emmanuel Cherian, as Chepauk Super Gillies defeated Nellai Royal Kings by 41 runs.Chepauk Super Gillies posted a commanding total of 212 for 7 in their innings. Opener K Aashiq led the scoring with 54 runs off 38 balls, supported by Vijay Shankar’s unbeaten 47, Swapnil Singh’s 45, and captain Aparajith’s 41.The unusual incident took place in the fourth over when Aashiq hit a boundary towards sweeper cover off Cherian’s first delivery. On the following ball, as Aashiq attempted another big shot, his bat broke in half with the broken piece flying towards and hitting the bowler during his follow-through.While the camera initially followed the ball to the mid-off fielder, the replay revealed the broken bat’s trajectory towards Cherian. WATCH: In response, Nellai Royal Kings fell short in their chase, managing only 171 for 9 in their allotted overs. Their captain and opener Arun Karthik scored 51 runs off 42 balls, attempting to steady the chase.

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Arshdeep back in Kent, focussing on red-ball rhythm ahead of England Test series

Arshdeep back in Kent, focussing on red-ball rhythm ahead of England Test series

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Arshdeep Singh during a practice session ahead of the Test cricket match series against England, in U.K. Photo: @BCCI via PTI India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is delighted to be back in Kent where he had earlier played county cricket as he looks to rediscover his red-ball rhythm ahead of the five-match Test series against England beginning June 20. The 26-year-old is eyeing his maiden Test appearance after being named in the Indian squad. The team is playing a four-day tour match against India A at the Kent County Cricket Ground at Beckenham from June 13. Primarily known for his white-ball exploits, Arshdeep, who represented Kent in the County Championship two years ago, had a notable season in the IPL 2025 with Punjab Kings, who finished runners-up. “As for today’s training session, my only motivation was to get a feel for the rhythm— how the body feels, how the red ball is coming out of the hand— because all the players have been playing with the white ball for quite a while. So I really enjoyed it,” he said. “Going forward, as we keep progressing step by step, the intensity will keep increasing, and we’ll keep making it more and more difficult for the batters to face the ball.” India, without the services of retired Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, will be led by new skipper Shubman Gill. The team includes a crop of young batters such as Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Arshdeep said he is enjoying bowling to his team-mates as he sharpens his red-ball skills. “It was fun bowling to the batters. They looked quite compact, and there was a competitive spirit—even though we were just working on rhythm, they were fully competing. So that made it even more fun,” he said. “We had to grind properly and try to get them out with a solid plan. Sai has joined the team for the first time, and he looked very compact too. The skipper looked in good touch. I’ll try my best to keep improving and get them out more often going ahead.” “When your attack includes Bumrah, comparison doesn’t exist” Arshdeep said he is focused on enhancing his skills while training alongside pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. “Whenever I hold the ball, I always feel that I am the best. But everyone knows—when you’re in an attack that includes a player named Jasprit Bumrah, then the word ‘comparison’ doesn’t even exist,” he said. “So, the focus is on how we can improve each other’s game, each other’s skill sets—and how we can help the team. That’s where my focus lies.” Reflecting on his earlier stint in Kent, Arshdeep said: “It feels really good to be here. At first, you get that ‘homely’ feeling, that yes, I’ve spent two months here before, so it feels great. I’m really looking forward to creating many more memories here. “It’s a small place, very peaceful. Not many people around. If you need peace of mind, this is the best place—because there’s always a cool breeze blowing, a soft warmth from the sun, and when you sip hot chocolate in that setting, it’s pure bliss. “And if you have a sweet tooth, make sure to have some churros with it,” said Arshdeep. The opening Test begins in Leeds on June 20. Published – June 10, 2025 11:58 am IST

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MS Dhoni's hands are faster than a pickpocket: Ravi Shastri leaves crowd in splits

MS Dhoni’s hands are faster than a pickpocket: Ravi Shastri leaves crowd in splits

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Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri has compared MS Dhoni’s lightning-quick hands behind the stumps with a pickpocket. Dhoni was recently honoured for his invaluable contribution to Indian cricket as he got inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame on Monday, June 9. The former India captain is widely known for his swift glove work as a wicketkeeper, having inflicted several sharp stumpings in his career. Recently, Shastri made a hilarious comparison of Dhoni’s stumping with a pickpocket. “He has hands faster than a pickpocket. If you’re ever in India, going for a big game, especially in Ahmedabad, you don’t want MS behind you; watch that back. The wallet will disappear,” Ravi Shastri said during the ICC ceremony. Furthermore, Shastri also commented on the adulation the legendary captain gets across the country. “He gets out for zero is the same; he wins the World Cup is the same; he gets a hundred the same, and two hundred the same. There is absolutely, you know, no difference,” he added. Dhoni holds the record for most stumpings inflicted in international cricket, having found batters short of their crease 195 times in his illustrious career. He’s the third most successful wicketkeeper in the history of the game, having 829 dismissals to his name. Dhoni revolutionised the role of a wicketkeeper batter in India with his valuable contributions with the bat whenever the team required. After Dhoni, wicketkeeping alone didn’t guarantee a place in the team, and one had to be regular with the bat as well. He made his international debut on 23rd December during an ODI against Bangladesh and got run out on his very first delivery. However, he didn’t let the setback affect him much as Dhoni went on to smash a breathtaking 148 in his fifth game against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam. From there onwards, there was no looking back for the boy from Ranchi who sealed his place in the team due to his tremendous exploits across all three formats. Dhoni was also handed over the leadership of the team in no time and took Indian cricket to unprecedented heights under his captaincy tenure. He led a young team to a title triumph in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 and also ended the nation’s 28-year-long wait for an ODI World Cup with a remarkable innings of 91* (79) in the final against Sri Lanka in 2011. Under Dhoni’s reign, India were also crowned Champions Trophy winners in 2013, making him the first and only captain to win all ICC trophies. Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: Jun 10, 2025

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ICC Hall of fame: From MS Dhoni to Matthew Hayden, check full list of inductees

ICC Hall of fame: From MS Dhoni to Matthew Hayden, check full list of inductees

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Former Indian cricketer M.S.Dhoni was inducted in the ICC Hall of fame. File | Photo Credit: Reuters The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday (June 9, 2025) announced the addition of seven veterans of the game into the ICC Hall of Fame. Here is a look at the seven inductees: MS Dhoni. File | Photo Credit: Reuters From lifting India’s first T20 World Cup in 2007 with a young, untested squad, to guiding the Men in Blue to a historic 2011 ODI World Cup win at home, and adding the Champions Trophy in 2013, Dhoni remains the only captain in cricket history to win all three ICC white-ball trophies. His leadership brought calm to chaos, turning pressure into opportunity and dreams into triumphs. With over 10,000 ODI runs at an astonishing average of 50.57, his legacy with the bat is as impactful as it is enduring. Behind the stumps, Dhoni was a phenomenon. His lightning-fast stumpings and razor-sharp anticipation revolutionised wicketkeeping in limited-overs cricket. Australia’s Matthew Hayden hits a four during the fourth one-day international cricket match between Australia and India at Sector 16 stadium in Chandigarh, October 08, 2007. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Matthew Hayden was an opening batter for Australia for 16 years. He briefly took Brian Lara’s test record with 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth, and hit three centuries while winning the 2007 ODI World Cup. His stats include the 61 ODIs – 6,133 runs at an average of 43.80, 103 Tests – 8,625 runs at an average of 50.73. South Africa’s Hashim Amla after the match | Photo Credit: Reuters Hasim Amla spent 13 hours scoring South Africa’s first triple century, 311 against England at the Oval in 2012. He also rose to No. 1 in the ODI rankings. He has a total of 55 international centuries. South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith. File | Photo Credit: AP Graeme Smith became South Africa’s youngest captain at 22. He led in a world record 109 tests and won 53, including the Proteas’ first series win in Australia in 2008-09 in which he played with a broken hand. In 117 Tests, he scored 9,265 runs at an average of 48.25, with 8 wickets. In ODIs, out of 197 matches, he secured 6,989 runs at an average of 37.98. Australia’s spin bowling coach Daniel Vettori. File | Photo Credit: AP Kiwi legendary left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has also been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Finishing with more than 700 international wickets and close to 7000 international runs, Vettori’s career was defined by adaptability, intelligence, and understated excellence with bat and ball. Vettori paved out an excellent career as a player and was one of just three players to score 4,000 runs and take 300 wickets in Test cricket. Pakistan captain Sana Mir. File | Photo Credit: AP Sana Mir led Pakistan for seven of her 15 years in the team, winning two Asian Games. She started as a pace bowler, but a stress fracture forced her to switch to off-spin. She retired as Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs and second second-highest in T20s. In 120 ODIs, she bagged 1,630 runs with an average of 17.91, 151 wickets. England’s Sarah Taylor, right, ducks out of the way as Australia’s Alyssa Healy plays a shot in their WT20 cricket match during the Women’s Ashes series in Sydney, Australia, Feb. 2, 2014. | Photo Credit: AP Sarah Taylor set the standard for women wicketkeepers with a record 232 dismissals across the formats. She was a key contributor in England’s ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup double in 2009 and another ODI World Cup triumph in 2017. Published – June 10, 2025 11:43 am IST

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World Test Championship final: Australia vs South Africa at Lords on June 11, 2025

World Test Championship final: Australia vs South Africa at Lords on June 11, 2025

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When it comes to major cricket finals, Australia is in a league of its own. Only Australia has won all four men’s global trophies. It is hard to beat in finals, having won 10 of 13 across the 50-over World Cup, 20-over World Cup, Champions Trophy, and World Test Championship. And let’s not get started on the women’s team, which is even more dominant. The men go for world title No. 11 from Wednesday (June 11, 2025) in the WTC final against South Africa at neutral Lord’s. That ruthless focus Australia brings on the biggest stages is in marked contrast to South Africa, a perennial underachiever. The Proteas have won just one major title, the Champions Trophy in 1998, when most of the current Proteas were toddlers. An experienced squad — average age 29 1/2 — compensates with a bond that can’t be underestimated, a determination to have each other’s backs. That showed often in the 2023-25 WTC cycle as the Proteas, who used 30 players, more than any other team, found a run-scorer or wicket-taker at just the right time. They won their last seven tests and were first to qualify for the final. “We haven’t been super dominant in our performances,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said when the team qualified in December. “We definitely haven’t been clinical or ruthless when the opportunity or the situation is called upon. But I think what we’ve done is that we’ve found ways to make sure that the result is on our side.” Who opens with Khawaja? Australia already was a veteran team when it won the 2023 final by crushing India by 209 runs at the Oval. Ten of that 11 are back. Only David Warner is missing, retired from tests. Medium-pace bowler Josh Hazlewood was injured and didn’t play, but he’s expected to replace one of the 2023 stars, Scott Boland. Hazlewood overcame a shoulder injury to spearhead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a first Indian Premier League title last week with 22 wickets in 12 innings. Warner’s permanent replacement at opener still hasn’t been settled. Sam Konstas made an audacious debut at age 19 in December against India, but Travis Head was preferred in Sri Lanka in February. They seem to be the main candidates. Marnus Labuschagne has opened only once since 2016, and his form has dropped to the point of concern. He averaged just 28.33 in the WTC cycle and attempts last month to spark form at Glamorgan in the second tier of the English County Championship fell flat. In the same division, allrounder Cameron Green scored three hundreds for Gloucestershire in a comeback from lower spine surgery which sidelined him for six months. But he’s not ready to bowl. It may not matter. Australia has four of its top 10 all-time leading wicket-takers in Nathan Lyon (553, third), Mitchell Starc (382, fourth), captain Pat Cummins (294, eighth), and Hazlewood (279, 10th). Star batter Steve Smith turned 36 last week and hasn’t played in the top flight since March, just like Konstas, opener Usman Khawaja, Lyon, Boland, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey. But they’re entrusted with the knowhow to switch on when it counts. Smith has four hundreds in his last five tests, and passed 10,000 career runs, almost as many as the South Africans. At Lord’s he averages 58. “At Lord’s, there’s always sort of something going on,” he said on Monday. “There’s always something going off for the bowlers, particularly if the clouds roll in. And then when the clouds are out, it can be really nice to bat. It’s a cool game playing here in England. I enjoy the sort of intricacies of what you need to do at certain periods. Whether you need to tighten things up or get a bit more aggressive. It should be a fun week.” Rabada ready to roll Whoever opens with Khawaja will likely immediately face fearsome South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada. Khawaja will have his hands full. He’s fallen to Rabada five times in 10 matches. Rabada, with 327 wickets, is three away from tying Allan Donald for fourth place on South Africa’s all-time list. Rabada will have the company of left-armer Marco Jansen, who took 29 wickets in six matches in the cycle. The third seamer will be either Lungi Ngidi, who was one of eight South Africans at the IPL, or Dane Paterson, who has been nipping the ball around for Middlesex in county division two. South Africa has confirmed Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton as the openers and captain Bavuma at No. 4. They played in the IPL, too. Middle-order batter David Bedingham, South Africa’s leading scorer in the cycle, proved in a warmup game against Zimbabwe that he’s recovered from a broken toe sustained in April. How did they qualify? The finalists didn’t meet in this cycle. Their last series was in January 2023, when Australia won 2-0 at home and dominated. South Africa didn’t play England either. It topped the standings with eight wins from 12 tests despite forfeiting a series in New Zealand to focus on its domestic Twenty20 league. Australia also didn’t play last-place Bangladesh. With 13 wins in 19 tests, Australia reached the final by beating India in January. It lost only twice away from home. Lord’s history Lord’s, the home of cricket, holds no demons for both teams. South Africa has lost only once there in seven post-apartheid tests. The last appearance resulted in an innings victory inside three days in 2022. Australia has not lost at Lord’s for 10 years.. Published – June 10, 2025 11:12 am IST

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Pat Cummins missing India in the WTC final: You always expect them to be around

Pat Cummins missing India in the WTC final: You always expect them to be around

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Australia captain Pat Cummins said that it’s finally nice to see something other than an India vs Australia final ahead of the summit clash of the World Test Championship (WTC). Australia and South Africa are set to lock horns in the WTC final on June 11 at Lord’s. For the first time, India won’t be a part of the blockbuster clash as they failed to seal a berth in the final, finishing third on the points table, having earned 50% of the points. Recently, ahead of the final, Cummins said that India have regularly appeared in the finals in the past few years, but it was nice to see some other team apart from them. “In some ways you expect India to be around. England have been quite strong at home and New Zealand always seem to get to finals. But the same case could be made for South Africa in ICC events. We just don’t see a lot of them in Test cricket but it’s nice and different to an Australia-India final,” Cummins told the Guardian. Cummins led Australia to World Test Championship crown in 2023, beating India in the final by 209 runs. He also led Australia to 2023 ODI World Cup triumph, beating India in the final by six wickets. The Australia skipper will have his eyes set on defending their crown in the upcoming WTC final to maintain his clean record in ICC tournament finals. Furthermore, Cummins also shared his views on South Africa’s criticism of having a seemingly easier route to the WTC final saying that they can only beat the teams they play against. “You can only beat who you come up against. Our route to the final was pretty tough but I don’t blame South Africa for having a different route. Their bowling has always stood out and it’s no different now. Keshav Maharaj is a really solid spinner and they’ve always got plenty of quick bowlers who pose a challenge,” he added. South Africa faced India, New Zealand (away), West Indies (away), Bangladesh (away), Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the current WTC cycle and finished on top with a points percentage of 69.44%. On the other hand, Australia faced England (away), Pakistan, New Zealand(away), India and Sri Lanka (away) on their way to the final. Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: Jun 10, 2025

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India tour of England: Arshdeep Singh reveals rhythm and red ball the focus as Team India begins Test prep | Cricket News

India tour of England: Arshdeep Singh reveals rhythm and red ball the focus as Team India begins Test prep | Cricket News

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Arshdeep Singh (Pic credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: “Upar khula aasman, thandi thandi hawa, saath me suraj ki tapas, aur haath me red cherry. Welcome to Kent!” quipped Arshdeep Singh, setting the tone for what was a picturesque and purposeful training day for Team India in England.With less than two weeks to go before the five-Test series against England begins in Leeds, Team India has begun red-ball preparations in earnest. On Monday, the BCCI shared visuals from the outdoor net session at Beckenham, offering a peek into both the scenery and the squad’s renewed red-ball focus — especially after months of white-ball cricket.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!For left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, the return to Kent was something of a homecoming. “I felt really good coming here; it feels homely,” he said in the video shared by the BCCI. “I’ve spent two months here, and it’s been quite enjoyable. It’s a small place, very peaceful, not too crowded. The best place when you need peace of mind.” Poll How do you feel about Team India’s preparations for the upcoming Test series against England? The highlight of Monday’s session, Arshdeep revealed, was regaining rhythm with the red ball. “The main goal of today’s training was to get into a rhythm, to feel how the body is responding, and how the red ball is being released from the hand since all the players have been playing with the white ball for a while,” he explained. “It was a lot of fun. As we continue, the intensity will increase, making it more challenging for the batsmen.“Arshdeep also highlighted the competitiveness during the net session, praising the batters. “It was enjoyable with the batters; they were quite compact. We had to work hard with a proper plan to try and get them out. Sai [Sudharsan] looked solid. The skipper was in good form. I’ll try to keep this banter going and aim to get them out many times,” he said. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy Asked about working alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep added with humility: “Whenever I hold the ball, I feel like ‘I am the best.’ But everyone knows that when you’re in an attack with a player like Bumrah, there’s no room for comparison. The main focus is how we can improve each other’s game and benefit the team.”India’s training included drills for Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja, with fielding coach T Dilip also leading a sharp catching session. With the Test series promising a fresh era in Indian red-ball cricket, preparation in the calm of Kent could prove invaluable.

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