Devine, Amelia, Tahuhu return to New Zealand squad for Australia T20Is

Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, and Lea Tahuhu are back in New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against Australia, which will wrap up the 2024-25 home summer. Bella James also makes a return, while Suzie Bates continues as captain. However, Izzy Gaze misses out due to injury, with Polly Inglis stepping in as her replacement.

Devine had taken a well-being break last month, missing the Super Smash, WPL, and the home series against Sri Lanka. Now refreshed and ready, she’s eager to rejoin the squad. Kerr, meanwhile, returns after a stellar WPL campaign with Mumbai Indians, where she claimed the Purple Cap with 18 wickets. Tahuhu has also recovered from a hamstring tear that sidelined her in December.

James, who was ruled out of the Sri Lanka series with a quadriceps strain, has now cleared her fitness tests and will travel with the team to Auckland on Wednesday. "We’re thrilled to have Soph, Melie, and Lea back. They bring valuable experience and leadership," said head coach Ben Sawyer.

Gaze remains unavailable due to a hip-flexor sprain, which also kept her out of the Sri Lanka series. Inglis, who debuted in both ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka, played all six matches but had limited opportunities with the bat.

Emma McLeod, Izzy Sharp, Flora Devonshire, and Bree Illing make way for Devine, Kerr, and Tahuhu’s returns. The three-match T20I series will take place from March 21 to 26, with games in Auckland, Mount Maunganui, and Wellington

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International games

• New Zealand vs Pakistan, 2nd T20I

  PAK 135/9 (15)

  NZ 137/5 (13.1)

  New Zealand won by 5 wkts (15 Overs game due to rain)

Shreyas is to Play at No. 3 in IPL 2025

Shreyas Iyer, the newly appointed captain of Punjab Kings, has made it clear that he wants to bat at No. 3 in IPL 2025. After playing a key role in India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign at No. 4, and leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 while mostly batting in the middle order, Iyer now aims to make the No. 3 spot his own.

“We all know how important the IPL is for Indian cricket,” Iyer said in a press conference. “If I have to establish myself in T20s, No. 3 is where I want to bat. That’s my focus. Of course, the final decision rests with the coach, but I’m quite clear about my role this season.”

Iyer will once again team up with coach Ricky Ponting, with whom he had a successful stint at Delhi Capitals from 2019 to 2021, even leading them to the final in 2020. PBKS went all in for Iyer at the auction, spending INR 26.75 crore (USD 3.18 million approx), making him the second-most expensive player ever in an IPL auction.

Ponting was delighted to have Iyer on board, saying, “If you saw the auction, it was pretty obvious who I wanted as captain. I was eager to work with Shreyas again. We had a great understanding at Delhi, and he’s one of the best players and leaders I’ve worked with. He’s an IPL-winning captain and a great human being. What more could you ask for?”

Punjab Kings had a disappointing IPL 2024 campaign, winning just one of their seven home matches across Mullanpur and Dharamsala, finishing second-last in the standings. Ponting emphasized the need to turn their home ground into a fortress.

“If you don’t win at home, you don’t win the IPL. That’s something we need to fix,” Ponting said. “That’s why I’m here—it’s a challenge, but an exciting one. We have nothing to lose. We’ll play an aggressive and entertaining brand of cricket, and I know we have the squad to do that.”

Domestic cricket + T20 leagues

• Asian Stars vs Indian Royals

  IR 148 (19.5)

  ANS 149/4 (19.1)

  Asian Stars won by 6 wkts

On This Day

Before the World Cup, nobody gave Sri Lanka a chance—they were ranked as 100-1 outsiders. But in a stunning turn of events, they scripted a fairy-tale triumph, capping it off with a dominant victory over Australia in the final at Lahore. No underdog in sporting history has ever won a major tournament with such conviction.

Having already dismantled England and India in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, Sri Lanka made light work of Australia. Aravinda de Silva played a masterful knock, remaining unbeaten on 107, while also contributing with three wickets and two catches—securing a well-deserved Man-of-the-Match award. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga ensured a smooth finish, guiding the team to victory with 22 balls and seven wickets in hand, sealing one of the greatest moments in cricket history.

Coming tomorrow

• Namibia vs Canada, 2nd T20

What else is happening

• Can Dravid's Rajasthan Royals end their title drought?

• Player replacement rule in IPL - Explainer