T20 Mumbai League | `I saved myself for Shivam and it worked`: Deshpande

Having been the last to qualify for the semi-finals, finishing fourth in the league stage, Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals (MSCMR) won the final with a brilliant all-round performance on Saturday night. livefromquarantine.club

MSCMR retained the T20 Mumbai League men’s title with a thrilling eight-run win over the Shivam Dube-led Arcs Andheri (AA) at the Wankhede. Chinmay Sutar once again rose to the occasion, scoring a fighting 61 at No. 4 before being retired out. He had aced MSCMR’s successful chase in last year’s final too with a 50* vs SoBo Mumbai Falcons.

MSC Maratha Royals players with the TML trophy. Pic/Atul Kamble

On a tricky pitch that helped the spinners, MSCMR defended 154-5 by restricting AA to 146-8. Till Dube was in the middle, AA had hopes of winning, but the experienced Tushar Deshpande dismissed the left-hander, caught in the deep for 15 when AA needed 25 runs for victory.

“I saved myself for Shivam and it worked perfectly for us. The pitch was helpful for the spinners and our spinners had done well throughout the tournament,” said Deshpande, who finished with 2-33.

There were some heated exchanges between players from both sides after AA’s Gaurav Jathar was dismissed but Deshpande called it, “part of the game.”

India’s white-ball future, emerging talents and major off-field developments dominated the cricketing news. Nitish Kumar Reddy strengthened his case as India’s next pace-bowling all-rounder with a match-winning display against Afghanistan, while debutant Gurnoor Brar justified the selectors’ faith.

In women’s cricket, Deepti Sharma delivered a record-breaking five-wicket haul to power India to a commanding victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. Away from the field, Cricket Australia’s plans to privatise the Big Bash League have run into resistance from players, while one of India’s fastest-rising pacers, Ashok Sharma, has opted to leave Rajasthan and join Gujarat ahead of the new domestic season.

India decimate Pakistan

India began their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a comfortable 64-run win over Pakistan, but the performance exposed a few concerns. Smriti Mandhana recovered from an uncertain start to score 68, while Richa Ghosh’s explosive 34 off 17 balls provided the late surge that took India to a match-winning total. However, the rest of the batting unit looked rusty, with several key batters failing to make an impact. The spinners, led by Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul, dominated after the powerplay, but India’s fielding was sloppy, with dropped chances and misfields. The fast bowlers also struggled for control early on.

Nitish Kumar Reddy moment

Nitish Kumar Reddy enjoyed a memorable outing in India’s ODI win over Afghanistan, not only with the ball but also with a heartwarming off-field moment. During the post-match press conference, Reddy paused to answer a call from his mother, which put smiles on everyone’s faces. Earlier, the all-rounder had played a key role in India’s victory, dismissing the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a superb yorker and finishing with 2/31. With Hardik Pandya sidelined, Reddy continues to strengthen his case as India’s preferred pace-bowling all-rounder.

Prabhsimran Singh exclusive

Prabhsimran Singh believes Punjab Kings have only themselves to blame for missing the IPL 2026 playoffs, despite a brilliant start to the season. PBKS won six of their first seven matches but then suffered six consecutive defeats to crash out of contention. Reflecting on the campaign, Prabhsimran admitted the rain-hit clash against KKR, where Punjab looked in control before the washout, could have made a difference. However, he stressed that the team’s failure to capitalise later in the tournament was the real reason behind their exit, especially after targeting a top-two finish throughout the season.

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BBL privatisation deal

Cricket Australia’s push to privatise the Big Bash League has hit a roadblock, with the Australian Cricketers’ Association refusing to back the proposal in its current form. The players’ body believes the plan benefits administrators and franchise owners far more than the cricketers themselves, with no increase in revenue sharing or salary structures on the table. Concerns have also been raised over Cricket Victoria’s proposed sale of the Melbourne Renegades and rebranding of the Melbourne Stars. Until players are offered a bigger slice of the pie, the ACA appears unwilling to sign off on the deal.

Ashok Sharma switches team

India prospect Ashok Sharma has decided to leave Rajasthan after just one domestic season and will represent Gujarat from the 2026-27 campaign onwards. The 23-year-old pacer, regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the country, obtained a No Objection Certificate from the Rajasthan Cricket Association after concluding that a move would better serve his career. Ashok enjoyed an impressive debut season, finishing among Rajasthan’s leading wicket-takers across formats and earning attention through his performances for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. While Rajasthan will be disappointed to lose a promising fast bowler so quickly, the association remains confident that its pace stocks are strong enough to cope with his departure.

Deepti Sharma, the match winner

Deepti Sharma once again proved why she is India’s most reliable player, producing a match-winning spell in the Women’s T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan. With Pakistan cruising at 52/1 in the chase, Deepti turned the game on its head by striking in her very first over and triggering a collapse. She finished with outstanding figures of 5/10, the best by an Indian in Women’s T20 World Cup history. The five-wicket haul also took her tally to 166 T20I wickets and 354 international wickets overall, leaving her just one behind Jhulan Goswami. Deepti’s brilliance helped bowl Pakistan out for 106 after India had posted 170/6.

The post DRS June 15: India decimate Pakistan, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s wholesome moment & GT pacer’s update appeared first on Inside Sport India.

FIFA World Cup 2026, Spain vs Cape Verde Group H: Former World Cup winners Spain will open their campaign in FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H with a clash against debutant Cape Verde or ‘Cabo Verde’ at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atalanta on Monday. The ‘La Roja’ had last won the world title 16 years back in the 2010 edition in South Africa.

For Cape Verde, on the other hand, it is a chance to leave a mark on the world stage. While they might not be as small as Curacao, they are definitely one of the smallest nations in the World Cup with a population of just 6 lakh. They are the third smallest nation to play in the World Cup after Iceland in 2018 and Curacao this year.

While the Curacao team was full of Dutch nationals, Cape Verde team is built up with players from Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United States. Coach Bubista promised that Cape Verde will play their Group H matches without fear.

“We want to enjoy these matches. Qualification means more than just football, it’s a cultural achievement. We want to show our country to the world. We’re a team that play without fear… When we talk about our identity, we’re talking about who we are as a people. We like challenges, because we like overcoming difficulties,” Bubista said in the pre-match press conference.

“We want to show our identity as a team, which means being brave when we have the ball in attack,” he added.

Spain, on the other hand, are one of the pre-tournament favourites to win the title. The ‘La Roja’ have been unbeaten in their last 30 matches over the previous 2 years. Their last defeat coming at the hands of Colombia at Wembley in March 2024.

Will Lamine Yamal play vs Cape Verde?

Spain will be concerned of the fitness of young prodigy Lamine Yamal and whether he will be available to play in the opening Group H match. Lamine was star for Spain in the Euros a couple of years back in Germany and will be hoping to make a mark in the World Cup as well.

Spain might not want to rush Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams into action too early as they are in final stages of recovery from hamstring injury.

“Cape Verde have been capable of knocking Cameroon out, and they have players who compete in European leagues.”

“Tomorrow’s match will demand a lot from us against a very tactical and very fast team.”

Luis de la Fuente#VamosEspaña | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/lgD2BYKY7m

— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) June 14, 2026

Here are all the details about Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match…

When will Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match take place?

The Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match will take place on Monday, June 15.

What time will Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match kick off?

The Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match will kick off at 930pm IST.

Where will Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match take place?

The Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match will take place at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

How can I watch Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match LIVE on TV in India?

The Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match will available LIVE on Zee’s new Unite8 Sports network (Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD) in India. Multiple group-stage matches that will take place simultaneously will be aired across the four channels with English and Hindi feeds.

How can I watch Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match live streaming in India?

The Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match will be available for live streaming on Zee5 website and app.

Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match Squads

Spain: Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia

Defenders: Pedro Porro, Marcos Llorente, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Pubill, Eric Garcia, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo

Midfielders: Rodrigo Hernandez, Martin Zubimendi, Pedri Gonzalez, Fabian Ruiz, Mikel Merino, Pablo Paez ‘Gavi’, Alex Baena

Forwards: Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Borja Iglesias, Dani Olmo, Victor Munoz, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino

Cape Verde: Goalkeepers: Vozinha, Marcio Rosa, C.J. dos Santos

Defenders: Diney Borges, Sidny Cabral, Logan Costa, Steven Moreira, Wagner Pina, Joao Paulo Fernandes, Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes, Kelvin Pires, Ianique ‘Stopira’ Tavares

Midfielders: Telmo Arcanjo, Laros Duarte, Deroy Duarte, Jamiro Monteiro, Kevin Pina, Yannick Semedo

Forwards: Gilson Benchimol, Jovane Cabral, Nuno da Costa, Dailon Livramento, Ryan Mendes, Garry Rodrigues, Willy Semedo, Helio Varela

Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar was more excited than under pressure on his India debut against Afghanistan and his first wicket settled the semblance of nerves, helping him walk away with a memorable outing in the rain-shortened first One-day International here. Brar starred with figures of 3/27 before skipper Shubman Gill unfurled a regal knock, powering India to a comfortable seven-wicket win on Saturday, and the hosts are now leading the three-match series 1-0.

"Obviously, I wouldn`t say there was pressure but there was excitement...like, I have to do well for India, I have to bowl well. Obviously, everyone wants to give their best here and I was doing the same. I just had to give my best and with God`s grace it went well," Brar said in an interaction with Gill, a video of which was shared by the BCCI. Brar earned his ODI call-up on the back of impressive performances in last season`s Vijay Hazare Trophy and also boasts of more than 50 wickets from 18 first-class matches.

In Dharamsala too, Brar impressed with his sharp pace as he repeatedly clocked above 145 clicks, stretching the speed gun to a highest mark of 148.2 kmph. Gill, who has closely followed Brar`s journey, asked the debutant about his emotions on earning the first India cap and the feeling of claiming a maiden international wicket. Brar replied that he felt relaxed after bagging the first wicket. "It`s a special feeling, like all the hard work has finally paid off, all the grind like I did in this heat...yeah it`s a special moment. "(The first wicket) yeah, it`s like a milestone that you just have to cross. When that first wicket happened suddenly it brought a sense of relief like `now there`s no tension`."

Gill then cheekily asked Brar whether he feared the opening wicket -- a skier offered by Ibrahim Zadran -- might be dropped given it was a slightly tricky chance. But the 26-year-old replied with a smile: "Since you were under it, I knew it wouldn`t be dropped." Despite Brar`s impressive spell, Afghanistan posted a competitive 194, powered by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz`s explosive 102 off 51 balls. Chasing the target, India needed someone to anchor the innings, and Gill did so with typical assurance, crafting an unbeaten 84 on a slightly sticky surface to guide the hosts home in 22.5 overs. Gill said his objective was to stay till the end and ensure India crossed the line.

"So, when I went in to bat, my main thing was that I wanted to be there till the end. I wanted to finish the game for the team. And, you know, the way I was expecting the start, that start didn`t come. So, I knew I had to grind a bit. The wicket was good, but it was a bit sticky," said Gill. "The ball was turning a bit and seaming slightly. So I thought if I could get through that period, the game would become easier and easier. "Then once the runs started coming, I would find my rhythm. Obviously, you feel very good when you plan something and and everything goes according to the plan," Gill added.

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