The BCCI has added nine new players to the IPL 2026 auction list, taking the total number of players to 359. Earlier, the board had released a list of 350 names from over 1300 registrations. The new additions include IPL winner Swastik Chikara and Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh, the only Associate-nation player in the pool. Other names are Manisankar Murasingh, Chama Milind, K.L. Shrijith, Ethan Bosch, Chris Green, Rahul Raj Namala and Virat Singh. Out of 359 players, only 77 will get contracts. BCCI also corrected an error after listing BBL-contracted Nikhil Chaudhury as an Indian instead of an overseas player. (PC: BCCI)

Hardik Pandya's unbeaten 59 off 28 balls and crucial wicket powered India to a dominant 101-run victory over South Africa in Cuttack's series opener. Returning after 74 days from quadricep injury, Pandya rescued India from 48/3, propelling them to 175/6 with late fireworks, 71 runs in the final six overs. South Africa collapsed to their lowest-ever T20I total of 74 in 12.3 overs, surpassing their previous low of 87 against India in 2022 Rajkot. Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel each claimed two wickets. Lungi Ngidi took 3/31 exploiting the challenging red-soil surface, but India's ruthless bowling secured the 1-0 series lead.(PC: X)

India demolished South Africa by 101 runs in the opening T20I at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium. Chasing 176, South Africa collapsed to 74 all-out in just 12.3 overs against India's disciplined bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Varun Chakravarthy all claimed wickets. Player of the Match Hardik Pandya praised his fitness work over the last seven months, emphasizing team-first mentality. South Africa captain Aiden Markram acknowledged the sticky pitch with "tennis-ball bounce" but lamented batting collapse, stating they would've backed themselves chasing 175. Markram stressed the importance of building partnerships, vowing quick turnaround for the next match.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bowl first in the 1st T20I in Cuttack. India left out Sanju Samson and Kuldeep Yadav, while Hardik Pandya returned to the XI, bringing balance to the side. India will rely on Suryakumar Yadav to lead the batting in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma opened the innings. Ravi Shastri made headlines after stumbling twice during the toss. South Africa fielded a strong lineup with De Kock, Miller, and Nortje. Both teams aim to prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup. 

The BCCI has released the final list of 350 players for the IPL 2026 auction. The event will be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. The pool includes 240 Indian and 110 overseas players. There are 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players. Ten teams will fight for 77 slots, including 31 for overseas names. Forty players have chosen the highest base price of ₹2 crore. Only Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi are in this bracket from India. Quinton de Kock is a surprise entry after being released by KKR. Strong bidding battles are expected. (PC: India Today)

The IPL 2026 auction, scheduled December 16 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, will feature 350 players after BCCI pruned the initial 1355 registrations. Thirty-five new names were added, notably South Africa's Quinton de Kock, who recently ended international retirement and smashed a century against India. De Kock halved his base price to Rs 1 crore after Kolkata Knight Riders released him following an underwhelming season where he was bought for Rs 2 crore. Cameron Green registered as a batter instead of all-rounder. The auction commences at 2:30 PM IST with capped players by specialism like batters, all-rounders, wicketkeeper-batters, fast bowlers, spin bowlers followed by uncapped players. (PC: Google Play)

Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces mounting pressure after the Reds' recent poor form, but reports confirm he'll remain in charge for the upcoming Champions League clash against Inter Milan. The hierarchy hasn't considered replacing him yet, though they demand results. Liverpool sits ninth in Premier League standings with six defeats from 15 fixtures after conceding a 2-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Leeds United. Mohamed Salah expressed deep disappointment after being benched for the third time, stating he feels the club has "thrown me under the bus." Reports suggest Liverpool is eyeing Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner as a potential replacement if Slot is sacked. (PC: Reuters)

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma emerged as Pakistan's most-searched athlete in 2025, surpassing even Pakistani cricketers and generating more searches there than in India. Hassan Nawaz, Irfan Khan Niazi, Sahibzada Farhan, and Muhammad Abbas followed him. His popularity stems from stellar Asia Cup performances against Pakistan, scoring 31 off 13 in the group stage and 74 off 39 in Super-Four. In India, he ranked third in searches behind teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya. The top-10 included women's stars Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, plus three uncapped CSK players. IPL dominated overall Indian searches, with cricket tournaments occupying four of five top sports searches alongside Pro Kabaddi League. (PC: News18)

Indian women’s cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana returned to training just a day after announcing the cancellation of her wedding to composer Palash Muchhal. Her brother Shravan shared a photo of her batting in the nets, which quickly went viral, with fans praising her resilience and professionalism, noting that “most people would take months” to recover emotionally. Mandhana has stated that her priority remains cricket, especially with the upcoming five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka later this month. Her quick return to preparation reflects her strong commitment to the national team and her mental strength in difficult times. (PC: X)

India women’s cricket star Smriti Mandhana confirmed that her wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal has been called off. The couple was originally set to marry on November 23, but family health emergencies caused delays. Mandhana asked for privacy and urged fans to respect both families. Throughout this period, teammate Jemimah Rodrigues has stood by her, leaving her Women’s Big Bash League campaign to support Mandhana. Rodrigues posted an Instagram story featuring the song Man I Need, signaling her emotional support. Mandhana emphasized that cricket remains her focus and expressed determination to continue representing India at the highest level. (PC: X)