Bengal defeated a strong Baroda team in Vijaya Hazare Trophy 2023/24 by 95 runs at Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Saturday.

Batting first Bengal put up a huge total of 314/8, all thanks to a brilliant 9th List-A century from their opener Abhimanyu Easwaran. Along with Easwaran's 141 from 138 balls, it was young wicketkeeper batter Abishek Porel who smashed a 65-ball 59 to give Bengal a solid start at the top of the order.

Althoug post Porel's dismissal, captain Sudip Gharami failed to contribute that many with the bat, experienced Anustup Majumdar's 41 from 47 again out Bengal back on track. However, it was Pradipta Pramanik's unbeaten 35 from just 14 balls helped Bengal cross the 300 mark and eventually finish on 314/8 in the first inning.

Also Read: "Looking to learn as much as possible:" Abishek Porel after replacing Rishabh Pant in Delhi Capitals team

In the second inning, Mohammad Kaif and Akash Deep struck early as Baroda's scoreboard looked 10/2 after 5.1 overs.

Post those wickets, Mitesh Patel and Sakshwat Rawat tried to pull things back for Baroda. Rawat scored a well-made 59 from 65 balls but Pradipta Pramanik found to be too good for even a set Rawat. Post his dismissal, none of Baroda batters could score big to challenge the big score pit by Bengal.

Also Read: ICC Bans Transgender Players From International Women's Cricket

Eventually they were bowled out for 219 in 44.2 overs. Pradipta Pramanik (3/46) and Karan Lal (3/43) finished with three wickets each for Bengal.

Score summary:

Bengal 314/8 (Easwaran 141, Porel 59)

Baroda 219/10 (Rawat 59, Lal 3/43)

After two back-to-back wins now, Bengal are at second position in Group E points table, after Madhya Pradesh.

Bengal will next face Tamil Nadu in their third game of Vijaya Hazare Trophy 2023/24 on 27th November at CCI, Mumbai.

Welcome to the live blog coverage of the intense FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier between Ireland and Portugal. The match is set to take place at the iconic Aviva Stadium in Dublin, promising a thrilling contest for a crucial spot in football’s biggest tournament.

Ireland, buoyed by passionate home support and a resilient squad, will be determined to challenge the strong Portuguese side on their turf. Key players such as James McClean and Nathan Collins will be vital in disrupting Portugal’s rhythm.

Portugal, led by seasoned stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, come into this fixture with a strong pedigree and attacking flair. Their recent form indicates sharpness and precision, making them formidable opponents for Ireland.

Stay tuned for minute-by-minute updates, live scores, tactical insights, player stats, and expert analysis as this high-stakes World Cup qualifier unfolds live from Dublin. The battle for World Cup glory heats up here!

The old guard still casts long shadows, but new suns are rising, bright and unpredictable, reshaping the league in their own light. The 2026 NBA season is shaping up to be a collision of eras, a changing of the guard written in speed, wingspans, and algorithmic precision.

Victor Wembanyama: The Future Wearing Spurs

In San Antonio, the experiment is almost complete. Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French prodigy, has turned potential into inevitability. He posted around 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game in 46 appearances before a shoulder DVT cut his 2024-25 season short. Cleared to return in July 2025, Wembanyama looks even stronger, more deliberate, more terrifying.

Scoot Henderson: The Engine of the Revolution

Scoot Henderson burns differently. While Wembanyama moves like architecture, Scoot explodes like energy itself. His rookie season in Portland was raw due to injuries and inconsistency, but by 2025, he began to orchestrate chaos rather than be consumed by it. Averaging roughly 13 points and 5 assists, he’s growing into the role of conductor.

And somewhere between the highlights and heat maps, bettors have begun to follow his rise. What reflects his trajectory in their odds and futures are online betting sites, which track the faith that data can’t quite quantify. When the numbers start to lean toward belief, you know something is changing.

Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Awakening

Paolo Banchero isn’t just the Magic’s cornerstone; he’s the return of a lost language. The 2025 All-Star posted around 26 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, then signed a five-year max extension worth up to $287 million in July 2025. Orlando now hums with structure and unpredictability, two traits rarely found in the same team. Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Banchero have given the city a core to believe in. The franchise that once floated between eras suddenly looks grounded in its future.

Read Also: 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World [2025]

Anthony Edwards: The Alpha Has Arrived

Every generation needs its mythmaker, and Anthony Edwards seems born for the role. At 24, he’s already entering his prime, blending volume scoring with defensive grit. The Timberwolves’ system finally looks tailored to him, with Karl-Anthony Towns complementing rather than overlapping. Edwards averages 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during the playoffs, which only tells part of the story. The rest is his aura: an unshakable sense that every arena he enters already belongs to him.

Chet Holmgren: Geometry in Motion

The future may yet belong to long, fluid unicorns, and Chet Holmgren is their quiet prophet. His three-point accuracy sits around 37-38%, and his rim protection remains elite. The Thunder’s pairing of this marvellous centre forward with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has turned Oklahoma City into a minimalist art project. A precise, intelligent, and devastating form of winning. By midseason 2026, OKC is more than a curiosity. They could be a problem no one knows how to solve.

The New Blood of the East

Beyond the prominent stars, the Eastern Conference has started to churn with youth and danger. Tyrese Haliburton, who led the league in assists in 2023-24, remains among the elite playmakers despite the Achilles injury that sidelined him after the 2025 Finals. Cade Cunningham has finally escaped Detroit’s growing pains, and Cam Whitmore in Houston (still just 21) has become a poster child for efficient rebellion.

The narrative feels decentralised now. There is no single “next LeBron,” only a constellation of futures, and each one of them is bright enough to light the next decade.

And yet, betting markets keep trying to trace shapes out of the chaos. With fans tracking live player performance, melbet app download has turned predictions into participation. Each stat, each breakout night, becomes an act of belief, a wager on what tomorrow might look like.

Toward 2026: The Age of Becoming

The 2026 season won’t belong to one name or one team. It will belong to evolution itself. The league feels suspended between algorithms and intuition, analytics and art. After all, basketball is a dynamic story that evolves constantly. And when the first whistle of the 2026 playoffs sounds, the world will lean forward, as if the future itself were dribbling toward the rim.

Indian men’s cricket team is ready to host reigning World Test Championship (WTC) holders South Africa in a two-match Test series, starting at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 14. The upcoming two-match Test series is part of the ongoing World Test Championship 2025-27. Led by Shubman Gill, India will aim to bag crucial home points with eyes on the top 2 spot in order to secure qualification for the WTC 2027 final scheduled to be held at the Lord's Cricket Ground in June 2027.

India have enjoyed a solid run of form this year, playing eight matches with four wins, three losses, and one draw. One of those defeats came during a tough tour of Australia, but the team has bounced back impressively since then. They managed a 2-2 draw in England and followed it up with a 2-0 series win over the West Indies. 

The World Test Champions had a mixed start to their campaign, losing the first Test against Pakistan but responding strongly with a win in the second. This tour to India features one of the strongest South African sides in recent years.

Also Read: Most Runs in India vs South Africa Test Series

India vs South Africa | Head-to-head Record in Test

South Africa and India have a very close head-to-head record in Test cricket. Since South Africa’s readmission to international cricket in 1991, these two sides have clashed in 44 Test matches so far. South Africa hold a tiny edge with 18 wins, while India won 16 Tests, and 10 Tests between them ended in a draw.

India vs South Africa | Last Five Tests Results

Over the last five Test series between the two nations, both India and South Africa have won two series each, with one series ending in a draw. Home advantage has clearly played a key role in the outcomes.

The 2023/24 two-match Test series in South Africa ended in a draw, with each team winning one match. South Africa won the first Test by an innings and 32 runs, while India clinched the second by 7 wickets.

South Africa won two series on home soil. In 2017/18, they defeated India 2-1 in a three-match series. Again in 2021/22, the Proteas won another three-match series 2-1 at home.

India has also claimed two series at home. In 2015/16, India won a four-match series 3-0, with one match drawn. In 2019/20, India swept South Africa 3-0 in a three-match series.

Also Read: Most Wickets in India vs South Africa Test Series

Every India vs South Africa Test Series Results

India and South Africa will lock horns in a two-match Test series, starting at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday. The Proteas last toured India for a Test series back in 2019, when the host blanked them 3-0. 

Talking about recent form in Test cricket, India ushered in the Shubman Gill era with a 2-2 draw in England and a 2-0 sweep over the West Indies at home. Meanwhile, the Proteas levelled 1-1 in Pakistan last month to kick off the defense of the ICC World Test Championship crown. This series is vital for both sides as they look to move up in the ICC WTC standings.

So, before the start of the series, let's have a look at the bowlers with most wickets in India vs South Africa Test series.

Also Read: Most Runs in India vs South Africa Test Series

Most Wickets in India vs South Africa Test Series

5. Morne Morkel | 58 Wickets

Across 31 innings against India, Morne Morkel took 58 wickets at an average of 26.41 and a strike rate of 53.77. However, Morkel took only one five-wicket haul against India. His only five-for came in the first Test in 2010 in Centurion. Morkel, who made his Test debut against India, intimidated the Indian batters through most of his career.

4. Harbhajan Singh | 60 Wickets

Harbhajan Singh is the 4th highest wicket-taker in India vs South Africa test cricket history. With an average of 28.40, Bhajji grabbed 60 wickets in 11 matches against South Africa. In 2004, Harbhajan returned with 7 for 87 at the historic Eden Gardens stadium.

3. Javagal Srinath | 64 Wickets

Former Indian fast bowler, Javagal Srinath comes in 2nd place on the list of taking the most Test wickets for India against South Africa. Srinath played 13 matches and bagged 64 wickets. During his career, Srinath took 4 out of his 10 five-wicket hauls against the Proteas, with his best against them being 6/21 in Ahmedabad in 1996.

2. Dale Steyn | 65 Wickets

South Africa’s aggressive fast bowler Dale Steyn has taken 65 wickets in just 14 matches at a bowling average of 21.53. Dale Steyn always wreaked havoc against India and is the most successful Protea bowler against the Asian giants. Interestingly, Steyn went wicketless just four times out of the 23 innings he bowled against India. His best performance came in Nagpur in 2010, when he claimed 10 wickets for 108 runs as the visitors won the game by a huge margin of an innings and 6 runs.

Also Read: Most Wickets in Test Cricket in 2025

1. Anil Kumble | 84 Wickets

Great leg spinner Anil Kumble tops the list with 84 wickets in 40 innings of 21 Test matches. Kumble took five wickets in an innings thrice in these matches. With 3 five-wicket hauls, Kumble's brilliant performance came in 1992 in Johannesburg, 6/53. Kumble was a part of the Indian team, that won the first-ever test match in South Africa in 2006.

India and South Africa will lock horns in a two-match Test series, starting at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday. The Proteas last toured India for a Test series back in 2019, when the host blanked them 3-0. 

Talking about recent form in Test cricket, India ushered in the Shubman Gill era with a 2-2 draw in England and a 2-0 sweep over the West Indies at home. Meanwhile, the Proteas levelled 1-1 in Pakistan last month to kick off the defense of the ICC World Test Championship crown. This series is vital for both sides as they look to move up in the ICC WTC standings.

So, before the start of the series, let's have a look at the batters with most runs in India vs South Africa Test series.

Also Read: Most Test Centuries in Cricket History

Most Runs in India vs South Africa Test Series

5. AB de Villiers | 1334 Runs

Former South African captain and 'Mr. 360 Degree' of cricket, AB de Villiers, completes this top-5 list. AB de scored 1,334 runs in 20 Test matches at an average of 39.23 against India, including 3 centuries and 6 half-centuries. 

His best score was an unbeaten 217 runs, which he played in Ahmedabad in 2008. This remains one of the finest innings played on Indian soil by a visiting batsman. This was also his first double century in Test cricket. This innings was played at a time when India was a strong team at home and facing legendary spinners like Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble. Amla and de Villiers combined to put the Indian bowlers on the back foot, helping South Africa to an innings victory by scoring 494 runs in the first innings.

4. Virat Kohli | 1408 Runs

Virat Kohli has been one of India’s most consistent performers against South Africa in Test cricket, scoring 1,408 runs in 28 innings at an impressive average of 54.15, including 3 centuries and 5 fifties.

Kohli’s highest score of 254* against the proteas came in Pune (2019). He played this innings while captaining the Indian Test team. He completely demolished the opposition, leading India to over 600 runs and win the match by an innings. Kohli is the only Indian captain to have won a Test series 3-0 against South Africa. This happened in 2019 when India hosted South Africa. He's also the only Indian captain to have beaten South Africa in a Test series twice. Sachin Tendulkar did it first, followed by Sourav Ganguly in 2004.

3. Hashim Amla | 1528 Runs

Elegant and composed Hashim Amla is in third place when it comes to most runs in Tests between India and South Africa. He made 1528 runs at an average of 43.65 in 21 tests, including five centuries and seven fifties.

He had made his South Africa debut in 2004 against India in Kolkata and went on to score big against India both at home and in India, on pitches that helped spinners. His highest score of 253* came in South Africa’s huge innings and six runs in Nagpur in 2010. His knock included 22 fours and, along with Jacques Kallis’ 173, he helped South Africa post 558/6d. India managed 233 and 319 runs in response.

2. Jacques Kallis | 1734 Runs

Legendary South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis comes in at the second spot in this list. Kallis amassed 1734 runs at an average of 69.36 in 18 Tests, including seven centuries and five fifties.

Kallis’ highest score with the bat against India was 201*, which came in the first Test at Centurion in the 2010 series. India had made 136 runs in the first innings. South Africa made 620/4d with centuries by Kallis, Hashim Amla (140), and AB de Villiers (129*). Kallis starred with 201* with 15 fours and five sixes. He also took two wickets across two India innings and was Player of the Match as the Proteas won by an innings and 25 runs. 

Also Read: Most Wickets in Test Cricket in 2025

1. Sachin Tendulkar | 1741 Runs

The record for most runs in India vs South Africa Test series is held by India's batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar. The legendary batter has 1741 runs in 45 innings at an average of 42.26 in 25 Tests, including seven centuries and five fifties.

Tendulkar’s brilliant 169 came in the second Test in Cape Town in the 1996 series. South Africa had made 529/7d, and in return, India was 58/5 when Tendulkar, the captain, got together with Mohammad Azharuddin to launch a scathing counterattack in a 222-run partnership. Tendulkar made 169 in 254 balls with 26 fours to his name. His knock was ended by a brilliant catch by Adam Bacher as India went on to lose by 282 runs.