by Tanish Prabhu
India vs West Indies proving to be thrilling ride
India will look to strengthen their grip on the five-match T20I series against the West Indies when the sides meet in Hyderabad, following a high scoring contest that has showcased the attacking nature of modern T20 cricket.
India lead the series 2–1 after three matches, having won the opening game by eight wickets, lost the second by six wickets and recovered with a 14 run victory in the third T20I. The fourth match will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, with the series continuing to provide an intriguing contest between India’s batting depth and the West Indies’ explosive approach. The second T20I in Ranchi delivered the standout performance of the series so far, as West Indies chased down India’s imposing total of 249-5 to win by six wickets with nine balls remaining. Captain Shai Hope led the charge with an unbeaten 102 from just 45 deliveries, while Sherfane Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 balls. Their 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket transformed the contest after the visitors lost two wickets in the opening over.The result marked the West Indies’ highest successful chase in men’s T20 international cricket, and the second-highest successful chase in the format’s history. It also demonstrated the Caribbean side’s ability to recover from difficult situations through aggressive batting and calculated risktaking.
The series has also provided opportunities for India’s emerging players to demonstrate their value in the shortest format. With a combination of aggressive stroke-makers and bowling options, India will aim to maintain their advantage while limiting the West Indies’ ability to build partnerships. For the West Indies, the challenge will be to reproduce the attacking intent that powered their remarkable Ranchi chase. Their ability to score quickly can put pressure on any opposition, but consistency across the batting order remains important as they attempt to keep the series alive. With the fourth T20I scheduled for Hyderabad on Wednesday, India can move within one victory of claiming the series. The West Indies, meanwhile, must respond to avoid falling further behind before the final match in Bengaluru on October 17. The contest promises another test of batting power, bowling discipline and composure under pressure as both teams continue their preparations for future international assignments.
Australia’s win streak in Durban continues in a huge final day
Australia held their nerve in Durban on the final day of the first test match, as South Africa were unable to survive in the final session, going down by 214 runs. But the game is never over until a champion batter like Aiden Markham is out, and he spent hours at the crease being tested to survive and hold on to a draw. Unfortunately, for him, he was unable to do the job, and Josh Hazlewood had a fantastic outing with the ball, taking 6/49 to lead Australia to a clinical win.
The match was won on day two when Matt Renshaw piled on the runs, with the help of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon. He finished on 190, guiding Australia to 390 from 6-124. It is the best test innings played in the history of the game and a career defined knock that hopefully places him in the team for the long haul. When he piled on the runs for most day two, he put the opposition under pressure and South Africa lost their momentum they had on day one. It was a calm, composed innings and not too aggressive, which South Africa failed to show when they batted. Their top order batters kept hooking the short pitched deliveries or played reverse sweep shots that didn’t go to plan, and that made things much worse for the hosts. A bonus to Renshaw’s performance in both innings was the two wickets he took in the fourth innings that basically summed up the test match.
Australia made the bold decision to bat first and Nic Maddinson ten year test drought started off shaky. He was given the nod to open the batting on the big stage along with Travis Head. Maddison’s 0 of 33 balls was a forgettable innings, but he followed it up with 48 runs in the second innings. It would be stiff to see him out, to allow Matt Renshaw to open in the final two test matches and possibly the upcoming summer of cricket against New Zealand and beyond that too, given he is just 30 years old. This win strengthens Australia’s spot in another World Championship final next year in June.
Max Vesterappen wins Singapore GP, Kimi just one race away from a maiden WDC
The first night race of the year and it was in Singapore as per schedule, Dutchman Max Vesterappen clinched another convincing victory in the 2026 season.
The weekend was once again chaotic, but not because of the weather. George Russell once again was on the unfortunate side as he crashed badly into the wall in the Sprint race, and the drama didn’t stop there. The two Mclaren drivers had a spat moments before Qualifying. Lando
Norris and Oscar Piastri made slight contact that forced Piastri out of the Sprint race as he
slided into a wall, but it gave Norris points as he finished eighth. From one bad moment to another, the Australian continues to find it difficult at Mclaren.
Verstappen also won the qualifying as well, marking it to be the perfect weekend for the Dutchman, who is extremely experienced on the Marina Bay Circuit, but that was followed by a perfect weekend for Charles Leclerc, who came second throughout the weekend as well for someone who hasn’t had the best time at Ferrari over the last two years. The two drivers were consistent from the beginning, but for seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the third spot grabs weren’t to be in the Sunday race. A Ferrari strategy to pit along with his teammate cost him a spot on the podium as he decided to stay on track instead, forcing him to go down three places and finish sixth. Despite it all, Kimi Antonelli is one race away from being an official World Drivers Champion regardless of the result.
Novak Djokovic wins China Open against Alex Di Minuar
It was a brilliant tournament for Australian Alex Di Minuar in the China Open last week and he went up against an experienced Novak Djokovic, who has won seven titles at the tournament. But an injury during the match forced Di Minuar to not continue with the game. Di Minuar was down one game, but had the advantage in the second set before being medically retired, handing the Serbian legend another victory to his prolific career.
For Di Minuar, he is an extremely talented player, who can win games, but when the opportunity rises, the pressure is on him, and it is never easy going up against the greats of the game.
