UP Warriorz beat Gujarat Giants for the second time in the campaign, and with this victory, they also booked their tickets for the playoffs. A brilliant comeback after loosing 3 huge wickets during a big run chase. Tahila Mcgrath once again proved her worth with a brilliant inning while a match-winning inning from Grace Harris completed the run chase. Gujarat Giants lost their opportunities when they got and it backfired big time. This was the fourth victory for UP Warriorz in the WPL 2023 campaign and they hold themselves tight to the third position of the points table.

Read Also: INDvsAUS: India's biggest defeat in ODI cricket in terms of ball remaining

WPL 2023: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz Match Report

Ashleigh Gardner & Dayalan Hemalatha led Gujarat Giants to a brilliant total after loosing early wickets

Sophia Dunkley & Laura Wolvaardt started the inning for Gujarat Giants. They both started with positive intent as Gujarat managed to score 29 runs in the first 3 overs. After 4 overs Gujarat lost three quick wickets. Anjali Sarvani provided UP with the first breakthrough. She cleaned up Laura Wolvaardt for 17 (13). Anjali bowled a length ball and the ball hits her back pads and deviated into the stumps. 

Rajeshwari Gayakwad then removed two quick wickets in the following over. The first one to out was Sophia Dunkley, who was caught by Anjali Sarvani at the backward point. She Failed to pick the turn and mistimed her shot. She got out for 23(13). Harleen Deol (4) became the next batter to depart. She came down the track and Gayakwad bowled away from her. The shot sliced up in the air toward the cover point and Simran Shaikh completed a simple catch.

Gardner & Hemalatha's partnership:

Sophie Ecclestone was welcomed with a four by Ashleigh Gardner, who went on to hit her a six in the same over. The maximum brought up the 50-run stand between Gardner and Dayalan Hemalatha in the 12th over.

Dayalan Hemalatha then hit Deepti Sharma for a six to bring up her half-century. She then hit the spinner for a boundary toward extra cover. Parshavi Chopra got the breakthrough in the first ball of the 17th over. She dismissed Dayalan Hemalatha for 57 (33), who was caught in the deep by Tahila McGrath. Ashleigh Gardner hit Deepti Sharma for a four to bring up her fifty. However, she was dismissed in the next over bowled by Parshavi Chopra. The spinner offered some flight by teasing the batter. Ashleigh Gardner failed to make any connection, which resulted in an easy stumping. She lost her wicket for 60 in 39 deliveries. Sophie Ecclestone came into the bowl the final over. She conceded seven runs and picked the wicket of Ashwani Kumari. Gujarat Giants posted 178/6 in 20 overs after deciding to bat first.

Tahila Mcgrath & Grace Harris' brilliance in the chase booked the ticket for UP Warriorz in the Playoffs of WPL 2023

Devika Vaidya and Alyssa Healy started the 179-run chase as Kim Garth led the attack for Gujarat Giants. Monica Patel gave Gujarat Giants an early breakthrough after being hit for a couple of boundaries by Alyssa Healy earlier in the over. Eventually, she got the better off the UP captain in the second last ball of the over. A back-of-a-length ball and Healy decided to pull for a big hit but mistimed her shot big time and ended up giving a simple catch to Harleen Deol at deep square leg. She lost her wicket for only 12 runs.

Kim Garth provided Gujarat Giants with the second breakthrough. She got rid of Kiran Navgire for 4 runs(4). Navgire went for the pull but ended up giving a simple catch to Laura Wolvaardt at mid-on. Tanuja Kanwar was brought into the attack and she got hit for a couple of boundaries by Tahila McGrath. The second one was a caught-and-bowl opportunity, which the bowler completely misjudged. However, Kanwar made a quick comeback and dismissed Devika Vaidya later in the over. She got stumped for 7(8).

Partnership between Tahila & Grace:

UP Warriorz settled in, thanks to Tahila & Grace Harris' partnership which helped them to reach 82/3 in 10 overs after loosing the first three wickets for just 39 runs. Tahlia McGrath welcomed Kim Grath with a boundary and added another three singles along with Grace Harris to bring up the 50-plus stand for the fourth wicket in 11 overs. Tahlia McGrath hit Tanuja Kanwar for a boundary in the next over. She drove her through covers for a boundary and with this, she also brought up her half-century.

Ashleigh Gardner provided Gujarat Giants with the much-needed breakthrough as she got rid of dangerous Tahlia McGrath for 57(38). Sneh Rana took the catch. Sneh Rana picked her first wicket as Deepti Sharma went for the aerial route but ends up giving a catch to Ashleigh Gardner at mid-on. She falls for 6(5). Grace Harris hits Tanuja Kanwar for a boundary to bring up her half-century. She continues her wrath and hits her for another boundary. 11 runs come off the over as UPW reached 149/5 after 17 overs. UP Warriorz completely turned around the game after loosing three quick wickets. They needed 30 runs in the last three overs.

Grace Harris & Sophie Ecclestone with the Winning runs for UP Warriorz:

Sophie Ecclestone failed to time her shot against Ashleigh Gardner but she got lucky as Sneh Rana failed to hold on to the ball at long-on. Grace Harris then hit Gardner for a six as 11 runs come off the 18th over. Kim Garth came to bowl the 19th over and she got hit for a four by Sophie Ecclestone. Harris hit Garth for a six but in the very next delivery, she lost her wicket as she handed a catch to Harleen Deol at long-on. Grace Harris departed after scoring a brilliant 72 runs in just 41 deliveries. A match-winning inning from the Warriorz batter. UP Warriorz completed the run chase with three wickets in hand. With this outcome, they also qualified for the WPL 2023 playoffs.

Cricket today is almost entirely a batsman's game. Flat pitches, small boundaries and bigger bats have tilted the game heavily in favor of the batsmen. The bowlers have got nowhere to hide and, the advent of T20s, where the batsmen go after them from the first ball itself have made it even more difficult.

The T20 format has brought about a revolution where the bowlers are more than grateful to keep the run rate down, rather than to take wickets. India made a wonderful foray into the shortest format of the game, winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Over the years India is blessed to have got some big hitters in their line up who are capable of clearing any boundary in the world.

In this article we will take a look at those batters with most sixes for India in T20Is.

Most Sixes for India in T20Is

5. Hardik Pandya | 95

Hardik Pandya debuted in T20I cricket in 2016 and swiftly established himself as a key member of India's preferred playing eleven, serving as a seam-bowling all-rounder. His T20I career reached its peak in 2024, marked by outstanding all-round performances during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, helping India clinch the title. In terms of batting, Pandya has struck 95 sixes across 90 T20I innings.

Pandya has been included in the Men in Blue's 15-member squad for this year's Asia Cup. If Pandya manages to hit five more maximums in the Asia Cup, then he will go on to surpass KL Rahul's tally of 99 sixes in the shortest format. This will see the all-rounder become the Indian player with the fourth-most sixes in T20Is.

Also Read: Highest Wicket Taker in Asia Cup History (ODI + T20)

4. KL Rahul | 99

KL Rahul, who was once a consistent member of the T20I squad now finds himself out of favour in the T20I setup. Between 2016 and 2022, he played in 72 T20I matches and mostly batted in the top three.

He hit 99 sixes in 68 T20I innings. Following the T20 World Cup 2022, he was excluded from the shortest format due to his outdated approach to T20 cricket, as he did not improve his intent and strike rate.

3. Virat Kohli | 124

The Run Machine Virat Kohli has hit 124 sixes in 117 T20I innings for India. He is one of the most consistent players in the Indian team, with an average of 48.69. He made his T20I debut for India in 2010 and since then he has been a cornerstone of India's batting. Kohli also recorded 4,188 runs in T20I format, which included 38 fifties. 

“King Kohli” was part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in June 2024. After winning the trophy, Kohli announced his retirement from the format. 

2. Suryakumar Yadav | 146*

Yet another batsman who has made six-hitting look extremely easy is India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. Despite making his T20I debut in March 2021 with a match against England, the elegant middle-order batter has already launched 146 maximums in just 79 innings for Team India.

Having the ability to hit sixes at all parts of the ground with relative ease makes Yadav, a.k.a SKY, draw a comparison with South Africa’s great AB De Villiers who was called Mr. 360 in cricket. His centuries have also come against big teams like England, South Africa, and New Zealand apart from Sri Lanka. He has hit the most number of T20I sixes against West Indies (35).  

1. Rohit Sharma | 205

Former Indian T20I captain Rohit Sharma hit the most sixes for India in T20Is, having hit 205 sixes in 159 games he played. He made his debut for India in the 2007 T20 World Cup against South Africa. However, he failed to cement his place in the team. The turnaround came in the 2013 Champions Trophy when MS Dhoni promoted him up the order to open the batting with Shikhar Dhawan.

Also Read: Most matches by an Indian in international cricket

The mighty Australians have been Rohit's favourite opponent in this format against whom he has hit 29 sixes in 23 matches with Bangladesh being the second, conceding 22 sixes off his willow. Fondly called the “Hitman”, Rohit Sharma hung up his boots from T20Is after delivering the 2024 T20 World Cup title for India.   

A maiden over, where six legitimate balls are delivered with no runs conceded, is common in the longer format of the game. But being able to contain some of the world’s most brutal batters to scoreless overs in the shortest format of the game is a truly remarkable feat.

However, a select few elite Test cricket nations players have career T20I economies of less than eight runs each and have a tally of maiden overs to their names.

Let's have a look at the most maiden overs in T20Is among Test playing nations.

Also Read: Most sixes in T20 Internationals in 2025 so far (men & women)

Most maiden overs in T20Is (Test playing nations)

5. Josh Hazlewood | 7

Josh Hazlewood is one of the most celebrated ace speedsters in international cricket. Hazlewood stands out for his stronger impact in limited-overs cricket, he maintains a better economy rate, delivers superior best figures.

Making his debut in 2013, Hazlewood has bowled seven maiden overs in the shortest format of the game. In 55 T20I, Hazlewood has claimed 73 wickets with an average of 21.83 and an economy rate of 7.60. No fast bowler from a Test nation has claimed more T20I wickets at a better economy rate since then.

4. Tim Southee | 7

Tim Southee had a fruitful 16-year-long T20I career. The right-arm swing bowler was often New Zealand’s third or fourth bowler in the shorter format, and he delivered in spades. Southee bowled seven maiden overs in the shortest format of the game.

Southee also bagged 164 wickets in 123 innings at an average of 22.38. He delivered his best performance 5/18 against Pakistan in December 2010.

3. Mustafizur Rahman | 8

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has quite a few variations which have led to his success as a bowler in T20I cricket. If there is anyone who can overtake Shakib Al Hasan to become Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, it’s Mustafizur. He has bowled eight maiden overs in T20I cricket as of now, the most for Bangladesh.

Mustafizur bowls a mix of cutters and slower ones in the middle overs besides getting his yorkers right at the death. He did so at the 2016 T20 World Cup, on his way to a maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket. He finished the match with an outstanding 5/22.

However, his best performance was an unbelievable 6/10 against the USA in May 2024. He has taken 138 wickets in 109 innings at an average of 21.07 and an economy of 7.36.

2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 10

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, one of India's greatest new-ball bowlers, has delivered 10 maiden overs in the shortest format. The right-arm seamer was once a mainstay bowler for India across formats. Bhuvi made his T20I debut against Pakistan in December 2012. He bowled the 10th maiden in a T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe on November 6, 2022.

Bhuvneshwar, who is known for his astute impeccable line and length, has picked up 90 wickets from 87 T20Is so far. His average and economy rate read 23.10 and 6.96.

Also Read: Team India’s Record in Knockout Games – ODI vs T20 vs Test

1. Jasprit Bumrah | 12

Jasprit Bumrah has bowled the most maiden overs in T20Is amongst the Test playing nations bowlers. Despite being known as one of India’s greatest fast bowlers in Test cricket, Bumrah has been equally as effective in his shorter format matches.

Since 2016, Bumrah has become a fearsome aspect of his country’s pace attack due to his unorthodox short run-up and ability to swing the ball both ways. This makes it hard for many batsmen to consistently score off him.

Bumrah has sent down an impressive 12 maiden overs. In 70 T20Is, Bumrah has also struck 89 wickets while averaging 17.74 and boasting a stellar economy of 6.27. 

The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 is to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and a total of 8 teams are to participate in it. But even before the tournament starts, a big change has been made in its schedule.

After the stampede in Bengaluru, the ICC has now decided to shift the matches to be held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to the ground in Navi Mumbai, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.

Also Read: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: Indian squad announced, Shefali Verma not in the team

Matches cancelled in Bengaluru due to RCB stampede case

After 17 years of long wait, RCB team finally won the IPL 2025 title. After this, RCB players gathered at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate the victory. There was a huge crowd to see them and after this many fans lost their lives due to a stampede.

Then the Karnataka government formed a commission, which declared the Bengaluru ground unsafe for big events. Now after this, the ICC has decided not to hold matches on the Bengaluru ground.

Matches will be held at Navi Mumbai ground

The match between India and Sri Lanka was to be held on 30 September at Bengaluru ground, which will now be played at Guwahati ground. The match between England and South Africa was also scheduled to be held on 3 October, which will now be held in Guwahati. The match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on 20 October was to be played at Colombo ground, which will now be played at Navi Mumbai ground. 

On the other hand, Navi Mumbai has got two more matches to be played in Bengaluru. These include India vs New Zealand (23 October) and India vs Bangladesh (26 October). There is also a strong possibility that the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final will be held either in Navi Mumbai or Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Also Read: India Cricket team's performance in every ICC Women's World Cup

Jay Shah expressed satisfaction about the new venue

"Navi Mumbai has emerged as a genuine home for women’s cricket in recent years. The support it has received during international fixtures and the Women’s Premier League has been remarkable, creating an atmosphere that elevates the players and inspires fans. I am certain that the same energy will define the big matches of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as it returns to India after 12 years," Jay Shah said in an ICC release.

“We stand at a pivotal moment in the journey of the women’s game. This World Cup has the potential to be remembered as one of those defining milestones that shaped the sport’s future, not only in India but across the cricketing world.

“While unforeseen circumstances required us to adjust the schedule and replace a venue, we are pleased to now have a line-up of five world-class venues that will showcase the very best of the women’s game. The stage is set, and I am confident this tournament will capture imaginations and inspire a new generation of fans.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended the contract of Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar. According to the report, he will remain in this position till June 2026. The decision came just two days after India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad announcement. Former fast bowler Agarkar was made the chairman of Team India's selection committee in July 2023.

Also Read: Five things from Asia Cup team announcement press conference

The contract was renewed before IPL 2025

According to the report, Agarkar's contract was renewed ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. During his tenure, the Indian team won titles and also saw changes (in Tests and T20s). The BCCI had extended his contract till June 2026 and he had accepted the offer a few months ago.

“Under his tenure the Indian team had won titles and had seen transition (of the Tests and T20) too. The BCCI had extended his contract till June 2026 and he had accepted the offer a few months back,” a BCCI official said.

Indian cricket team under Agarkar's tenure

During Ajit Agarkar's tenure, Team India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Apart from this, Team India also reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Where it lost to Australia.

Agarkar has also overseen leadership changes. Shubman Gill became Test captain. Suryakumar Yadav took charge of the T20I side. Meanwhile, senior stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now play only ODIs. Ravichandran Ashwin has retired completely.

S Sharath could lose his place

Agarkar currently works with SS Das, Subroto Banerjee, Ajay Ratra and S Sharath. But changes are expected at the BCCI annual meeting in September.

Reports say S Sharath could lose his place. He has served close to four years as selector, the maximum allowed by BCCI rules. Sharath earlier headed the junior selection panel before joining the senior one in 2023. BCCI will soon invite applications to fill the vacancy. Officials are largely happy with the rest of the panel. Only Sharath’s role looks under review for now.

Changes will also be made for women’s and junior panels

The shake-up will not stop with the men’s committee. The BCCI will also invite applications for the women’s and junior selectors. Neetu David, head of the women’s panel, and members Arati Vaidya and Mithu Mukherjee, complete their terms this season. The junior men’s panel, led by Thilak Naidu and others, may also see changes.

Also Read: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: Indian squad announced, Shefali Verma not in the team

Agarkar's international career

Ajit Agarkar has taken 349 international wickets in his career. He has taken 58 wickets in Tests, 288 in ODIs and 3 wickets in T20 Internationals.

Agarkar was also a part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in 2007. He scored 15 runs and took one wicket in 2 matches of the tournament. India won the title by defeating Pakistan in the final of the tournament held in South Africa.

Agarkar is the fastest Indian batsman to score a half century in ODIs. He scored a half century in 21 balls against Zimbabwe in the year 2000. He has also completed the fastest 50 wickets in ODIs for India. He achieved this feat in 23 matches.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian women's cricket team for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. This tournament will be held in October and a list of 15 players has been released for this on Tuesday.

#TeamIndia squad for ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025⬇️

Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (WK), Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani,…

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) August 19, 2025

Also Read: India Cricket team's performance in every ICC Women's World Cup

Harmanpreet to lead the team

The responsibility of team selection was of the National Selection Committee, which is headed by former Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar. He has handed over the command of the team to experienced all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur.

At the same time, left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as the vice-captain. Both the players have been the backbone of the Indian women's team for the last several years and they are expected to perform well in this tournament as well.

No Shafali Verma in the squad

Shafali Verma has been left out despite the head coach, Amol Majumdar, backing her after the England series. Shafali was part of the India A squad on the recently concluded Australia tour, but she couldn't impress much in six white-ball matches that included three One-Day games too. As for the squad, the Indian team has been picked on the expected lines with not much surprise in the offing.

Some new faces got the chance 

BCCI has selected a balanced team in which along with the experienced players, some new faces have also got a chance. In which players like Pratika Rawal, Sree Charani and Kranti Gaud will get a chance to prove themselves on a big stage like the World Cup for the first time. The selectors have made it clear that these young players have been selected on the basis of their domestic performance.

Strong bowling unit

The role of all-rounders will be important in the team. Players like Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana have the ability to contribute with both bat and ball. Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy will lead the fast bowling attack. Radha Yadav and Sneh Rana will strengthen the spin department.

Players to take part in a special training camp

According to the team management, the players will take part in a special training camp before the World Cup, in which special attention will be paid to fitness, strategy and match simulation. The goal is that the team should enter the field fully prepared and become a strong contender to win the title.

Also Read: ICC Women's World Cup Past Winners & Most Successful Teams

ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: India Squad

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.