Cricket News Live: Shreyas Iyer to return, can SL win?

Sri Lanka Women win the toss and opt to bowl first.

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📱 Official BCCI App #INDvSL | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/3zK3uM5KpZ

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 28, 2025

Jake Weatherald got some jokes 😅#JakeWeatherald #MCG #Ashes #Insidesport #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/0wrZ4IiQlf

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

He joins the league of Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. 

Have a look at India’s No. 1 T20I batter at the end of each calendar year since 2010 🇮🇳🏏#IndianCricketTeam #ICCRankings #AbhishekSharma #Cricket #InsideSport pic.twitter.com/RkWsr7KQug

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

Virat Kohli becomes the fastest player to score 1,000 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, achieving this incredible feat in just 15 innings 🌟🏏#ViratKohli #DineshKarthik #WasimJaffer #VijayHazareTrophy #Insidesport #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/Bkc62f5KDJ

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

Aakash Chopra highlights how the presence of legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is raising the bar in domestic one-day tournament 🙌🏻🏏#AakashChopra #ViratKohli #RohitSharma #VijayHazareTrophy #Insidesport #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/YdjyDc2zbv

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

Joe Root and Shubman Gill have hit the most centuries in international cricket in 2025 💯👏#JoeRoot #ShubmanGill #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/o3jGxcCnC1

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

Shubman Gill is training hard ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand 🔵🏏#ShubmanGill #INDvNZ #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/ypvFPd4p8c

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

Mohammed Shami may not find a place in BCCI's central contracts for the 2025-26 season. Read more about it here. 



Image Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri via Alamy

Have a look at the difference between Virat Kohli’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match fees and ODI match fees 💰#VijayHazareTrophy #ViratKohli #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/XN315e91g5

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 28, 2025

The maximum and minimum temperatures, as per the forecast, are 32 and 21 degree Celcius respectively. Clear to partly cloudy conditions are expected over the venue during the course of the INDW vs SLW 4th T20I. There is zero chance of rain during the game.

As per Sports Tak, the BCCI will announce the central contracts in a day or two.

Bowlers are expected to get the maximum assistance from the surface during the first half of the INDW vs SLW 4th T20I. While pacers are expected to profit most at the start of the game, with enough movement from the pitch, spinners will come in to play later on in the game as they will get the turn. Overall, the team chasing has a better chance in the game. And not to forget, the dew factor will play a major role as well.

Now, after a brief period of rolling his arm over, it is time to bat for Abhishek Sharma. He looks as comfortable as ever!!

VIDEO | Explosive opener Abhishek Sharma spends time batting in the nets during Punjab’s practice session at the Anantam Cricket Ground on the outskirts of Jaipur, ahead of Punjab’s clash with Uttarakhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy tomorrow.#AbhishekSharma #VijayHazareTrophy… pic.twitter.com/GmRcrsEqrA

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 28, 2025

Contrary to the recent reports, Rishabh Pant shouldn't get dropped from the ODIs. Yes, Ishan Kishan has the numbers, Pant has lacked game time. There's no proper cricketing reason to axe Pant in the one-dayers. Read our feature on the same below. 

Perhaps a call from the management? Abhishek Sharma was seen practising his left-arm spin while training with the Punjab side on the eve of the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Uttarakhand. The World No. 1 Ranked T20I batter is more than handy with the ball and India might make the most of his bowling come the T20 World Cup 2026. 

VIDEO | Jaipur: Indian star batter Abhishek Sharma was seen bowling during a practice session at Punjab’s Anantam Cricket Ground on the outskirts of Jaipur, ahead of Punjab’s clash with Uttarakhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy tomorrow.#AbhishekSharma #VijayHazareTrophy… pic.twitter.com/5XkegUVLcP

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 28, 2025

Reports on Saturday claimed that BCCI is not happy with Gautam Gambhir as Test head coach. However, now, as per NDTV, a new development has come in that the board fully trust Gamhir for the job. 
“We have not spoken to VVS Laxman either officially or unofficially. The BCCI has complete trust in Gautam Gambhir, and no discussion has been held regarding this matter,” the BCCI official told the publication.

Since Gambhir took over in July 2024, India has lost 10 matches, including 0-5 at home against SENA nations. They lost the BGT Down Under 3-1 as well and drew series 2-2 in England. 

With a massive purse of around Rs 65 crore, KKR signed many bowling options to rejig their squad. For a combined Rs 27.20 crore, they signed Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman. Also, they acquired Kartik Tyagi, Akash Deep and retained Umran Malik and Harshit Rana. On the topic of getting immense competition, seamer Vaibhav Arora said that this competition allows players to improve.  

"This season, players like Akash Deep have joined us, and we already have experienced bowlers such as Mustafizur Rahman, Pathirana, Cameron Green, and Karthik Tyagi. I believe competition is a good thing; it pushes us to improve, grow, and perform at our best. Competition is tough everywhere, but it’s actually a very positive sign for our team that we have such quality bowlers. Even the players on the bench add to our strength. Healthy competition within the squad brings out the best in everyone, when someone gets an opportunity, the team benefits," said Vaibhav while speaking 

In a new development, Australia's Laura Harris has scripted the joint-fastest fifty in Women's T20 history. Playing for Otago in Women's Super Smash, she hammered a 15-ball fifty against Canterbury. She has equalled Marie Kelly's record, who smashed her 15-ball half-century for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire in 2022. 

👕 55 International matches
🏏 3405 runs
💯 9 centuries

🏆 U-19 Asia Cup 2018 winner
🏆 U-19 World Cup 2020 winner
🥇 Gold at Asian Games 2022
🏆 T20 World Cup 2024 winner
✅ Century on International debut
✅ Joint-most sixes in a Test innings
✅ Second Indian to score 700 runs… pic.twitter.com/2dmLC2VFMA

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) December 27, 2025

Fans in Vadodara, Kotambi are in for a treat as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be in action in the 1st ODI against New Zealand on January 11. Fans can book the tickets from January 1 onwards on BookMyShow app and website. 

@cricbaroda to begin Ticket sales fr 🇮🇳 vs New Zealand first ODI at Vadodara on Jan 1!! pic.twitter.com/ZZGhqORwzB

— Gaurav Gupta (@toi_gauravG) December 27, 2025

Just Now: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced Pakistan's 15-member squad for the three T20Is against Sri Lanka, starting from January 7 onwards. In a big breaking, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are left out of the T20I squad. Shadab Khan returns under Salman Ali Agha, while, uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Khawaja Nafay is also drafted in. 

Pakistan T20I squad for SL series

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Rishabh Pant to face an axe from ODIs?

According to various reports, Rishabh Pant is set to face an axe as far as his ODI spot is concerned. He is currently a backup keeper to KL Rahul but Ishan Kishan is likely to be rewarded over Pant. Despite making his ODI debut in October 2018, Pant has failed to nail down a spot in the white-ball setup. Read below for more information. 

Meanwhile, Jayswal, who took the prized wicket of Kohli, has been guided by none other than fellow Gujarat spinner Axar Patel. 
"Axar bhai has helped me with everything — kit, bats, jerseys, mindset. I want to be a spin-bowling all-rounder like him," Jayswal said to TOI. "I’ve always wanted to be a spin-bowling all-rounder like him. He teaches me how to be a game-changer — when to attack, how to control the run rate, and how to stay mentally strong."

The latest bowler to dismiss Virat Kohli is Gujarat's Vishal Jayswal, who did him with a beautiful left-arm spin in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) match. Following the match against Delhi, Jayswal got an opportunity to meet the 'King' himself and got a signed match ball as well. After that, Kohli said to him: 

"Achha ball daalta hai. Hard work karta rah. Opportunity aayega, wait kar and mehnat kar [You bowl really well. Keep working hard"