IND vs ENG: Harshit Rana, who returned after 4 months of injury, is out again

India’s injury woes have worsened midway through the England T20 series, with fast bowler Harshit Rana ruled out of the remaining two matches with a hamstring injury, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Thursday, July 9.

This setback comes barely two weeks after Rana returned to competitive cricket. four months injury leave. This young fast bowler, who made a comeback in the T20 series against Ireland, has now suffered another injury after playing just five matches.

Rana has been ruled out of the fourth and fifth T20Is against England, dealing another blow to the Indian team, already trailing 2-1 in the five-match series against Harry Brook’s side.

4th T20: India vs England live updates

IND vs ENG: Why is Harshit Rana not playing?

The latest injury continues to be a disappointment for the fast bowler, who has struggled to find form since his return. In the five matches played in the last fortnight, Rana bowled only 14 overs in total before being forced off due to another fitness concern.

India’s injury list has also swelled as spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been ruled out of the remaining matches of the England series due to a similar hamstring problem. BCCI said that both the players are currently being monitored, no timeline has been announced for their return.

Rana’s latest setback comes after what has already been a tough year for the fast bowler.

The 24-year-old suffered a knee injury earlier this year just before the T20 World Cup, which ruled him out of the prestigious tournament. Rana was expected to partner Jasprit Bumrah as India’s leading fast bowler during the title defence, but his plans were scrapped due to injury.

What was initially thought to be a short-term absence eventually turned into a lengthy rehabilitation, with the injury proving more serious than first anticipated. Rana subsequently missed the entire IPL 2026 seasonHe spent four months on the sidelines before eventually returning against Ireland.

His return had offered India another pace option at a crucial stage of the T20I calendar, but the latest hamstring injury has once again halted his progress.

With India struggling to keep the series alive after losing two of the opening three matches, Rana’s absence poses another selection headache for the team ahead of the fourth T20I against England.

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published by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

July 9, 2026 21:59 IST

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Axar Patel makes a big confession before his 100th T20 match: ‘I never imagined this’ cricket news

Akshar Patel's big statement before his 100th T20 match, said- 'I had never imagined this'
India’s Akshar Patel (ANI photo)

India all-rounder Axar Patel is set to achieve another major feat when he takes the field in the fourth T20I against England, and will become the 31st Indian cricketer to play 100 T20 Internationals. The historic feat comes just two matches after Axar took his 100th T20 wicket, underscoring his consistent impact as one of India’s most reliable white-ball all-rounders over the past decade.Reflecting on his journey from making his T20I debut in 2015 to reaching the milestone of 100 matches, Axar admitted that he had never imagined representing India so many times.“When I played my first T20 match, I never thought that I would play 100 matches. This England tour has been very special for me because I completed my 100 T20I wickets in the second match and now I will play my 100th T20I in the fourth match. “This is a very special moment and I am really enjoying it,” Axar said in a video shared by BCCI.The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder also credited his teammates, coaches and family for helping him reach this milestone.“It feels really good. Whenever you achieve a milestone, it’s not just about you. My teammates, coaches and family have all played a role in this journey.”Axar also recalled the feelings of making his India debut and how representing the country is every cricketer’s ultimate dream.“When you make your debut, it’s a completely different feeling. At that time, you don’t know how much you will achieve in your career. Now, I’m about to play my 100th match, and it’s a feeling that can’t really be expressed. “Even playing a match for India is a dream come true.”

Axar Patel’s T20I career statistics

Since his debut in 2015, Axar has scored 746 runs in 99 T20I matches at an average of 17.34, while taking 101 wickets at an impressive average of 21.86, with best figures of 3/9. He has also taken 38 catches while making valuable contributions in all three departments.The 31-year-old has been an integral member of India’s white-ball team and played a key role in the team’s victories in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s premier T20 all-rounders.

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France vs Morocco: Didier Deschamps supports Argentina referee Facundo Tello ahead of World Cup quarter-final

Didier Deschamps has never been one to mince words, and on the eve of France’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Morocco, the Les Bleus manager delivered a masterclass in psychological deflection.

The build-up to the blockbuster clash at Boston Stadium has been dominated by FIFA’s decision to appoint an entirely Argentine officiating team led by 44-year-old referee Facundo Tello. Given the bitter, bitter rivalry between France and Argentina since their spectacular 2022 final in Doha, this option has raised serious eyebrows in the football world.

Yet, rather than take the bait and criticize the appointment, Deschamps flipped the script completely, using the pre-match press conference to take aim at his critics.

“We have to deal with it. I trust the referee. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee,” Deschamps said firmly.

However, the French strategist could not avoid hitting out at those critics, especially parts of the North African media French referee Francois Letexier was closely investigated Following Argentina’s dramatic, controversial 3–2 victory over Egypt in the round of 16.

“Let’s hope our [officials] He is as good as Monsieur Letexier was,” he said.

calls for peace

The manager’s quiet, slightly combative confidence has clearly rubbed off on the rest of the French team. Backup goalkeeper Robin Riser also supported the officials, offering a refreshing dose of realism while urging his teammates to ignore any growing digital paranoia.

“There’s a certain bitterness [between France and Argentina] It’s been a few years now since the last final, but it’s part of the game,” Risser said.

“If these referees are there, it’s because they are up to the level of the competition.”

For the players, the historical burden between Paris and Buenos Aires is an extraneous distraction; The task at hand is limited to 90 minutes entirely on the pitch.

With the French camp firmly closing out the refereeing debate, attention has turned entirely to the tough challenge posed by Morocco. The Atlas Lions secured their place in the last eight with an impressive 3-0 win over Canada, and Deschamps is under no illusions about the tactical battle that awaits them.

“They don’t have the image of Paraguay,” Deschamps warned, citing his team’s narrow 1-0 win in the round of 16.

“We will need to be very effective because this Morocco is very high quality. The level increases as you go up the mountain.”

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahabi has also completely downplayed Tello’s importance to the All-Argentina team, and expressed full confidence in his elite tournament experience.

Referencing on this FIFA World Cup Has become a topic of discussion on a large scale, FAccusations of bias against football legends are being made. Egypt’s furious meltdown over Francois Letexier is a perfect example; They felt completely betrayed after a disallowed goal, a disallowed penalty claim and an unprovoked foul in the build-up to Argentina’s 93rd-minute winner all went against them.

FIFA World Cup | fifa world cup schedule | fifa world cup points table | football news

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published by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

July 9, 2026 14:52 IST

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Zimbabwe 13/2 in 4.5 overs

Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh Live Score, 2nd ODI: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2nd ODI between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

After a stellar performance in the opening match, Zimbabwe go into the match with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Despite Nahid Rana’s brilliant six-wicket haul for Bangladesh, Zimbabwe’s bowlers stole the show by successfully defending their score.

Richard Ngarwa and Brad Evans led the attack brilliantly, while Newman Nyamauri impressed with a brilliant all-round performance as Bangladesh were bowled out for just 116 runs.

Zimbabwe squad: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaiya, Craig Ervin, Alexander Raza, Wesley Madhewere, Clive Madande (w), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamauri, Richard Ngarwa (c), Blessing Muzarabani, Tadivanashe Marumani, Ernest Masuku, Wellington Masakadza, Ryan Burl.

Bangladesh team: Tanzeed Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Tauheed Hridoy, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mehdi Hasan Miraj (c), Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Naheed Rana, Liton Das, Saif Hasan, Tanveer Islam, Shoriful Islam.

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Egypt was robbed: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s take on the FIFA World Cup goes viral

The fallout from Egypt’s highly controversial, heartbreaking 3-2 exit to Argentina in the round of 16 has transcended the realm of soccer and is making its way into the upper echelons of American civic politics. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has put himself at the center of the global sports debate, declaring that the North African side had been “robbed” during his time in the sport. Dramatic FIFA World Cup encounter.

Political speeches are historically famous for calculated pivots, but Mamdani delivered a masterclass in rhetorical misdirection on Wednesday. At a completely dry, administrative press conference outlining municipal infrastructure upgrades, Mamdani easily weaponized local transit data to deliver a scathing, globally heard verdict on the World Cup’s biggest refereeing scandal.

Unveiling his new “Next Stop: Better Buses, Faster Service” initiative, Mamdani delved into how streamlined bus routes can return 24 hours of personal time to local commuters over a six-month period.

He began to paint a picture of domestic bliss, underscoring the human value of time saved.

“It means having breakfast with your family,” Mamdani told the gathered press contingent. “It means having time to debate balls and strikes at your child’s Little League game. It means getting home in time for bed.”

Then came the sucker punch. Without pausing, Mamdani said: “It means agreeing with your friends that Egypt was looted yesterday.”

What happened during Egypt vs Argentina?

Mayor’s comment has added fuel to this Burning controversy in FIFA World Cup. The source of global outrage focused on a crucial 58th-minute incident that fundamentally changed the trajectory of Tuesday’s match in Atlanta. With the fearless Egypt team leading the reigning world champions 1-0, midfielder Mustapha Zico completed a breathtaking team move and clearly put the Pharaohs in complete control.

However, French referee François Letexier was instructed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to review the incident which had occurred more than 20 seconds earlier at the exact opposite end of the pitch. Letexier later ruled that Egypt’s midfielder Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina’s Lisandro Martínez a full 100 yards, where the goal was ultimately scored.

The goal was conceded, leaving the Egyptians completely defeated and a huge relief for Lionel Messi’s men, who took full advantage of the 11-minute comeback to seal the victory in the final minutes.

There was another flashpoint too. With the score tied at 2–2 in stoppage time, the Egypt captain lost a tackle after tracking down defender Julian Alvarez inside the 18-yard box.

While the Egyptian players and staff appealed loudly for a penalty, French referee François Letexier waved the game off, a flashpoint decision that directly enabled Argentina to counterattack and score the winning goal a few seconds later. However, Newly emerged broadcast replays from alternative angles Public consensus has shifted, suggesting that Álvarez reached the ball cleanly first and that the contact was minimal, suggesting that the referee made the correct technical decision.

The controversial calls have sparked fierce debate among pundits regarding the wide scope of VAR’s jurisdiction, with many arguing that the long interval and distance between the alleged foul and goal violated the principle of the “attacking phase of the game”.

The rhetoric within the camp was even more adamant. Striker Mustafa Zico didn’t mince his words, telling reporters that the refereeing was “unfair, unfair, unfair” and that it meant the scales had been tipped to ensure Argentina progressed.

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan reiterated those disappointments, labeling the match “clearly rigged” in his scathing assessment after the match.

Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has refused to accept defeat quietlyImmediately lodged a formal, scathing complaint with FIFA regarding Letexier and his officiating team.

FIFA World Cup | fifa world cup schedule | fifa world cup points table | football news

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published by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

July 9, 2026 09:08 IST



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Priya Punia has been included in India’s squad in place of injured Pratik Raval for the one-off England Test at Lord’s. Cricket News

Priya Punia has been included in India's squad for the one-off Test against England at Lord's in place of injured Prateek Raval.

New Delhi: Ahead of the one-off Test against England at Lord’s, India were forced to make late changes after opener Prateek Raval was ruled out with a knee injury. The women’s selection committee has named Priya Punia as her replacement for the match starting on Friday.Pratika suffered an injury around her right knee while playing for India A in the second ODI against England A in Taunton. The injury required stitches and she was not able to recover in time to participate in the Test. Head coach Amol Majumdar confirmed this setback before the match.Muzumdar said, “Pratika has been ruled out of the Test match due to the injury she sustained in the India A match. She has injured her knee which required a few stitches. She is out of the Test match and Priya Punia has been included in the squad.”Priya received the call-up after an impressive performance in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England A. She was the leading run-scorer for India A with 171 runs in three matches and played a key role in the team’s 2–1 series win.Pratika made her Test debut against Australia earlier this year and scored 81 runs in two innings, including a half-century in the second innings.Speaking about her love for the longest format after that debut, Pratika had said:“Test cricket is the most beautiful format. Since childhood, my father and coaches have told me that it is very important to perform well in this format. When you are groomed like that, it naturally becomes your favorite format.”

India’s squad for the one-off Test against England:

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nandini Sharma, Harleen Deol, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaur, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana and Priya Punia.

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Wimbledon: Flawless Alexander Zverev cracks the Fritz code to reach semi-finals for the first time

Alexander Zverev finally found the answer to one of the biggest puzzles of his career. After seven consecutive losses to Taylor Fritz, the German second seed produced one of her best performances in recent memory, defeating the American 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday, July 8 to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.

Following his French Open victory, Zverev continued his quest for back-to-back Grand Slam titles by ending a two-year losing streak against Fritz, which also included a loss to the American at the All England Club in 2024.

The victory made Zverev only the fifth German player in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, joining Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Rainer Schuettler and Tommy Haas.

After the match, Zverev said, “It feels great. I hope to play two more matches here, so we’ll see how it goes, but right now I’m extremely happy to reach the semi-finals, especially after beating Taylor, who I haven’t won against for over two years.”

“He has been beating me for two years in a row. I played a great match.”

Zverev Steamrolls Fritz

The competition never reached drama Many had hope. Zverev broke in the opening set and despite Fritz threatening a comeback in the 10th game, he held his composure to wrap it up 6–4. The German roared with relief after escaping late pressure, aware of how much recent history had favored his opponent.

The second set swung in Zverev’s favor after Fritz required a medical timeout on his right knee at the beginning of the set. While the American pressed on, he struggled to match Zverev’s consistency from the baseline as the German grabbed another vital break before comfortably going two sets ahead.

Fritz’s resistance faded completely in the third.

Zverev grabbed a double break at 4-1 with a stunning backhand winner in one shot of the afternoon and then closed out the match with minimal fuss. The win was her 12th Grand Slam semifinal overall, but notably her first at Wimbledon.

“I knew I had to play a near-perfect match to have a chance, and I think I did that today,” Zverev said.

“The first game on my serve, I had three break points against me and I knew it was going to be difficult. When you haven’t beaten someone for over two years it’s always on your mind.”

zverev vs ferri in semis

Now Zverev will face Britain Arthur Fairey, whose fairy tales continued Starting the day with a straight sets win over Flavio Coboli.

The German immediately accepted the challenge facing him and joked that the home crowd would have no reason to support anyone else.

“You guys can be all for the ferry,” Zverev laughed. “It’s absolutely fine. I understand.”

“For them, it’s a ‘fairy-tale’ story. You see what I did there? Very clever. But I have to trust myself and trust my tennis.

“Hopefully I can perform well and then we’ll see what happens.”

Zverev has achieved success at Wimbledon for the first time in his career. However, to lift the trophy he will have to spoil Britain’s biggest tennis story of the fortnight.

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published by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

July 8, 2026 23:36 IST

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R Sai Kishore joins Gloucestershire for last six County Championship matches cricket news

R Sai Kishore joins Gloucestershire for last six County Championship matches
R Sai Kishore (PTI photo)

India’s left arm spinner R. Sai Kishore has signed with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club for the last six matches of the 2026 County Championship season. The 29-year-old will be available for Gloucestershire’s match against Worcestershire County Cricket Club in Cheltenham on August 20. Kishore had earlier impressed while playing with Surrey County Cricket Club in 2025, taking 11 wickets in just two matches.Speaking after completing the move, the teenager said he was looking forward to experiencing English conditions again. “I am extremely grateful to John and all the people at Gloucestershire for giving me this opportunity. Gloucestershire is a club with a rich history and a fantastic setup, and to have the chance to play cricket here is incredibly exciting.He said, “I’ve always wanted to test my skills in English conditions, and after talking to the management, I knew it was the right one. I’m looking forward to wearing the jersey, meeting the fans at Bristol and Cheltenham and doing my thing.”

Gloucestershire back Sai Kishore to make impact

Kishore has been one of India’s most consistent domestic red-ball bowlers, taking 223 wickets in 54 first-class matches. Tamil Nadu. He was also part of India’s gold medal-winning team at the 2023 Asian Games and has taken 33 wickets in 28 IPL matches.Gloucestershire head coach john lewis He welcomed the signing, saying, “We are really excited to bring Sai Kishore to the team. He is a proven, experienced cricketer who will add a huge amount to our group.“The club is fully committed to playing better cricket in the final six County Championship matches, and it will be really interesting to see what impact an overseas spinner can have at this stage of the season. Conditions at this time of year are often very favorable to spin bowling, so we are hopeful that Sai can make a significant contribution and have a really positive impact on the team.”

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