Former captain Mithali Raj feels the Indian women's cricket team has a great chance to finish on the podium in the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2022, provided it has its tactics and strategies in place.

Also Read: India To Tour Zimbabwe For 3 ODIs In August

Women's cricket will make its debut in the Birmingham CWG after a men's tournament was held at the 1998 edition in Kuala Lumpur.

India is placed in Group A and will take on Australia in their first group stage game on July 29. Pakistan and Barbados are the other two teams in the group.

"I think before any big event, preparation is very important. If you prepare well and because it's a T20 format and Commonwealth Games, if you have your tactics and strategies in place we have a great chance to finish on the podium."

Mithali said on Saturday

The iconic former captain has announced her retirement last month. Meanwhile, she was speaking at the Eden Gardens during the promotion of a movie 'Shabaash Mithu', which is based on her life. The film is set to release on July 15, Bollywood actress Tapsee Pannu is in the lead role.

India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, has nicely warmed up for the CWG. The 'Women in Blue' has won the T20 series against Sri Lanka 2-1.

Read Also: Shabaash Mithu Trailer Out: Fans excited to see Indian legend's life on the big screen

Mithali Raj also said that the Punjab all-rounder has enough experience to lead India to glory at the Games.

"She (Harmanpreet) has been leading in T20s since 2016, so I think she is experienced enough to lead (the team) in the Commonwealth Games."

said the 39-year-old, who has 7,805 ODI runs

While the semifinals will be played on August 6, the summit clash will be held on August 7. The Birmingham CWG will be held from July 28 to August 8.

India started the Tri-Nation Women's ODI series with a winning note as they defeated the host Sri Lanka by 9 wickets. India chased down Sri Lanka's 148-run target with 56 balls remaining in the match after Indian spinners dominated the Sri Lankan batters in the first innings.

The match was initially interrupted by rain which resulted in the loss of overs, reducing to 39 overs a side. Indian announced their arrival with an impressively controlled victory at the R. Premadasa Stadium stadium, Colombo.

Indian spinners dominated the game from the start

The Sri Lankan team, batting first, struggled to build partnership and were bowled out for 147 in 38.1 overs. Indian bowlers dominated the entire first inning with Arundhati Reddy dismissing the Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu and getting an early wicket for the team. It followed by an exceptional bowling performance leading to a constant flow of wickets, which completely shattered Sri Lanka’s batting line-up.

Sneh Rana was a star performer, who took 3 crucial wickets for India, with Deepti Sharma and Sree Charani taking 2 wickets each. Additionally, the on-field efforts of the Indian team was commendable in today's match.

During the second inning, India started off comfortably with the bat, without trying to rush things out. The opening pair, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, formed a partnership of 54 runs for the first wicket. Smriti Mandhana missed out on her 31st ODI half-century and was dismissed at 43 (off 46 balls). 

Harleen Deol came to bat next and played composed cricket, scoring 48 runs from 71 balls. Sri Lanka failed to take more wickets, and Harleen Deol sealed the win for India with her exceptional half-century from 62 balls.

Both teams fielded 2 debutants

Kashvee Gautam (22-year-old), who impressed the fans with her bowling for Gujarat Giants in the WPL 2025, along with the star of Delhi Capitals, Sree Charani (20-year-old), made their International debut for India in this match. Charani picked up 2 wickets with an economy of 3.25 in today's match.

Sri Lanka also handed debuts to Malki Madara and Piumi Badalge.

India's shield-like batting power 

The Indian batters showcased an amazing quality of batting in this format. Smriti Mandhana, along with Pratika Rawal, provided a good start in the initial overs. They kept the flow of runs going with their bat. Smriti departed at 43 (from 46 balls) while trying to loft the ball over the bowler (Inoka Ranaweera), and wasn't lucky enough to make it through.

Harleen Deol stepped in after the wicket and made no mistakes, adding 48 runs off 71 balls from her bat. Pratika Rawal scored 50 off 62 balls, putting the winning runs on the board for India.

It felt like Indian batters were quite difficult to get out and stood up like solid walls, without losing their wickets. 

Steady headstart for India

India's win has lift up the team's spirit and confidence to another level. This was also a glimpse of the solid form and composure that the players hold in this Tri-series squad. 

In today's match, each bowler had an economy below 5, and the batters were incredible in chasing down the total, without losing many wickets.

The challenge ahead for Sri Lanka 

This defeat against India serves as a reminder for Sri Lanka to assess and improve their shortcomings. They failed to build partnership throughout the game, which led to a low total on the board. Hasini Perera's 30 from 46 balls was the highest score by a Sri Lankan batter in this match. 

Immediate Reflections and Long-term Goals

This being the ODI World Cup year, the immediate reflections for both the teams would be to shape their strategies, set grounds and make effective adjustments with the stage of the Tri-Nation ODI series among India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa.

Score Summary

SL-W: 147 (38.1/39) | Kavisha Dilhari 25; Sneh Rana 8-31-3

IND-W: 149 (29.4/39) | Pratika Rawal 50* (62); Harleen Deol 48* (71)

Centuries in T20Is are a treat to watch. Over the years, some incredible cricketing talents across the globe have set the bar high with their records. This article celebrates the art of power-hitting by logging the top 10 fastest centuries in Women's cricket.

Check out the Top 10s that left the fans and bowlers amazed in the competitive T20 format.

10. Hayley Matthews | (53 balls) vs Australia, 2023

The West Indies captain Hayley Matthews scored a crucial ton in their record-breaking run chase against Australia. She is known for excelling in the T20 format. They succeeded in defeating Australia on their home soil with the help of this knock in 2023.

Matthews has scored 2 centuries in T20Is so far. It took her only 53 balls for this, which makes it one of the fastest centuries in Women's cricket.

9. Meg Lanning | (53 balls) vs Ireland, 2014

Meg Lanning, the former Australian captain, holds the ninth position with her timeless century against Ireland in the Women's T20 World Cup, 2014. Lanning is one of the finest cricketers of all time, with seven World Cup titles under her name.

She scored 125 runs off 65 balls in this innings and was also the top run-scorer of the tournament.

Also Read: Most matches as captain in Women's T20I history: Harmanpreet Kaur tops the chart

8. Rubina Chhetry | (52 balls) vs Maldives, 2024

The former captain of the Nepal Women's Team, Rubina Chhetry, scored a record-breaking century in a match of ACC Women's Premier Cup against Maldives in 2024. She hit 10 fours and 5 sixes, leading the team to a total of 227 runs on the board. 

Her century off 52 balls paved the way to achieve one of the highest totals of Women's T20Is by an Asian country.

7. Danni Wyatt-Hodge | (52 balls) vs India, 2018

The attacking opener of England Women's Team, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, scored a magnificent century from just 52 balls against India in 2018. She’s widely known for her composed batting style in this format, providing a headstart to the team.

Wyatt helped England reach the milestone of one of the highest successful run chases in the history of Women's T20Is with her vital knock.

Also Read: The Greatest T20I Records That Will Stand the Test of Time

6. Meg Lanning | (51 balls) vs England, 2019

This is yet another ton from the Australian legend that became one of the fastest centuries in women's cricket, making her appear on the list twice. She took 53 balls to score the century, and was also unbeaten in the inning.

Lanning also holds the record for most centuries in Women's ODIs, which says a lot about her exceptional abilities.

5. Fargana Hoque | (51 balls) vs Maldives, 2019

Fargana Hoque, the right-handed Bangladeshi batter scored her maiden T20 century off 51 balls in 2019, which was fastest in a lot. With this remarkable century against Maldives, Hoque became the second woman from Bangladesh to score a T20 century.

4. Harmanpreet Kaur | (49 balls) vs New Zealand, 2018

Harmanpreet Kaur, the current Indian captain, secured the fourth position with her maiden T20 century in 2018. She scored this off just 49 balls during the ICC Women's World T20, against New Zealand.

Kaur showcased some fearless cricketing class and became the first Indian woman to score a century in a T20 International.

Read Also: Harmanpreet Kaur in T20 Women's World Cup: A Name for Milestones and Challenges

3. Tamsin Beaumont | (47 balls) vs South Africa, 2018

Tamsin Beaumont, the right-handed English batter, scored an impressive century off 47 balls against South Africa in 2018. She is known for her ability to score runs in all cricketing formats and noteworthy fielding.

2. Alyssa Healy | (46 balls) vs Sri Lanka, 2019

The current Australian captain, Alyssa Healy, scored her maiden T20 century off 46 balls against Sri Lanka in 2019. In this inning, she played a spectacular knock of 148* from 61 balls, which is the highest individual score in women's T20Is by an Australian. 

This performance brings her to the second position in the table of fastest centuries in Women's cricket of all time.

1. Deandra Dottin | (38 balls) vs South Africa, 2010

As we come down to the final name, Deandra Dottin’s extraordinary century off 38 balls is the long-standing record that has remained in the no. 1 rank for over a decade. This West Indies all-rounder scored her groundbreaking maiden century against South Africa in 2010.

Dottin is the first woman to score a century in the history of T20 cricket. She is widely recognised for her explosive batting power and has set an unforgettable benchmark worldwide. 

Also Read: Top Female Cricketers Who Are Making History

The seventeenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to begin on Friday, March 22 with a huge clash between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chennai. IPL has seen several world-class players over the years. The best players in the world, like Kohli, Gayle, AB de Villiers, and Warner, have scored plenty of runs in the league. So it's time we have a look at the players with the most runs in IPL history.

Also Read: MS Dhoni Captaincy Record and Stats in IPL

Top Five Players with Most Runs in IPL History

Virat Kohli holds the record for scoring the most runs in IPL. He is in the top of this list with 7263 runs in 237 matches, including 7 centuries and 50 fifties. Virat has scored those runs at an average of 37.24 and a strike rate of 130.02. His best season came in 2016 when he made an incredible 973 runs in a single season, including 4 hundreds which is still the highest individual runs in a single season.

Shikhar Dhawan is second on the list in terms of scoring the most runs in IPL. He has been consistent in the IPL, crossing the 400-run mark each season from 2016 to 2022. Dhawan has scored 6617 runs in 217 games at an average of 35.38, including 2 centuries and 50 half-centuries. His best season came in the 2020 season when he scored 618 runs with 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries. 

The former captain of Hyderabad, David Warner, is the top run-getter among the foreign players and comes third overall. He has made 6397 runs in 176 matches at an average of 41.53 and a strike rate of 139.91. He has scored 4 centuries and 61 half-centuries in the Indian cash-rich league. His best season came in 2016 when he made 848 runs with 9 fifties.

The Hitman, Rohit Sharma is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the IPL. He has led Mumbai Indians to five titles so far. Rohit began his IPL career with Deccan in 2008 before joining Mumbai in 2011. In 243 matches, Rohit Sharma has scored 6211 runs at an average of 29.57, with 1 hundred and 42 half-centuries. The Hitman is the 2nd highest six-hitter in IPL with 256 sixes. 

Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina has been a key member for Chennai in the league. He has been always consistent for CSK and led the team to 4 titles and 5 runner-up titles. In 205 matches, Raina has scored 5528 runs at a fantastic strike rate of 136.76, with 1 hundred and 39 fifties. Raina retired from international cricket in 2020 and from IPL in 2022.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Central Contract for the 2025-26 season on Monday, 21st April 2025. 7 new players were added to the contract, while players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan returned to the list after missing out last time.

Last year, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were left out of the BCCI central contract after opting out of the domestic games for their respective state teams. BCCI's focus on domestic cricket left them out of the central contract despite being part of the Indian team set up a few months ago.

But, this time, both the Indian batters were added to the contract after Iyer won everything in the domestic cricket last season, along with lifting the IPL 2024 with Kolkata Knight Riders. Ishan Kishan also played through the entire domestic season and has been rewarded with the contract too. 

Read Also | "Mere Sath Kyun?.:" Ishan Kishan breaks silence on Team India exit and Central Contract termination

Talking points from the BCCI Central Contract 2025

Rohit and Kohli stay in Grade A+ 

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remained in the Grade A+ category despite retiring from the T20I format. Rohit and Virat had announced their retirement from the shortest format of the game after lifting the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies. 

Ravindra Jadeja is another name who has been listed in the A+ category despite retiring from the T20Is after the World Cup victory.

Bumrah is the only all-format player in A+

With Rohit, Kohli and Jadeja retiring from the shortest format of the game, Jasprit Bumrah remains the only all-format player to be in the A+ category of the BCC Central Contract 2025.

Pant is promoted to the Grade A category

Rishabh Pant received a promotion to the A category after being in the B category last year. Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami are the other names in the A category, who were already there in last year's contract. 

Ravi Ashwin has been left out of the contract since he retired from international cricket.

Iyer listed in grade B; Kishan in grade C

Shreyas Iyer, who was left out of the contract last year, has been included in the Grade B, while Ishan Kishan has been listed in the Grade C. 

Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the other names in Grade B, who were there last time as well. 

New 7 names in Grade C

7 new players have been added to the BCCI Central Contract 2025. All of these players found themselves in Grade C. 

Dhruv Jurel, Sarafraz Khan, Nitish Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Akash Deep are the players who received the contract for their performances in the last season. 

Not to be confused, Akash Deep earlier had a fast bowling contract and this year received the central contract after doing well in the Test format. 

Shardul Thakur, Jitesh Sharma, KS Bharath, Avesh Khan, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have been left out of the contract this year.

Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa were all part of the fast bowling contract last season. 

BCCI Central Contract 2025

BCCI announces annual player retainership 2024-25 - Team India (Senior Men) 💙🤝#Bcci #IndianCricket #Viratkohli #RohitSharma #jaspritbumrah #Shreyasiyer #KlRahul #HardikPandya #Ipl2025 pic.twitter.com/LSmlg06QOS

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) April 21, 2025

Delhi Capitals registered a spectacular win in the Super Over against Rajasthan Royals in the 32nd match of IPL 2025 played at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. However, arguing with the umpire during the match has cost Delhi's bowling coach Munaf Patel heavily.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has found Munaf Patel guilty for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct and has fined him. Along with this, he has also been given a demerit point.

Also Read: BCCI sacks four staff members after defeat in Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia

There was a heated argument with the fourth umpire

During the match, Delhi Capitals bowling coach Munaf Patel was seen having a heated argument with the fourth umpire. This incident happened near the boundary, where Munaf was clearly angry with the umpire for not allowing him to convey the message on the field and they had an altercation over this. The video of this incident is also going viral on social media.

Munaf Patel had a heated exchange with the 4th umpire during the #DCvRR match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi after the umpire denied sending a player to enter the ground to convey his message.#DCvsRR #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/hHv0tNAUvd

— Gaurav Chaudhary (@gkctweets) April 16, 2025

Fined 25% of his match fee

The BCCI has fined Munaf Patel 25% of his match fee. Along with this, he has also given a demerit point for violating the IPL Code of Conduct. Munaf has admitted a Level 1 offense under Article 2.20, which relates to conduct contrary to the spirit of the game. He has also accepted the punishment given by the match referee.

This is not the first disciplinary issue for Delhi this season. Captain Axar Patel was fined Rs 12 lakh after their sixth game - their only loss so far - against Mumbai Indians due to a slow over-rate.

Patel's contribution as bowling coach

Despite the controversy, Munaf Patel's contribution as bowling coach has been remarkable, as he is credited with Delhi's excellent bowling efforts. This performance played a vital role in turning the tables during the match.

Also Read: IPL 2025 facts: KKR has won every game when this player has played for them

Mitchell Starc was named Player of the Match for his crucial spell. He took 1 wicket for 36 runs in his 4 overs, with the 20th over being particularly crucial in taking the match to the Super Over.

With the win, Delhi Capitals reclaimed the top spot in the IPL 2025 points table. With five wins from six matches, they became the first team to reach 10 points this season.