Cricket Highlights: India’s T20 World Cup Squad, IPL Auction Records, and Jharkhand's Historic Win
Cricketing Highlights of the Week
The past week in cricket has been eventful, featuring significant announcements and thrilling matches. India revealed their squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, Cameron Green became the third most expensive player in IPL history, Australia retained the Ashes, India triumphed over South Africa in T20Is, and Jharkhand celebrated their first SMAT title.
India's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad Announcement
As December wraps up, the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia unveiled the 15-member Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. The announcement was made during a press conference attended by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
Notable inclusions in the squad are Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh, with Singh making a comeback after two years due to his impressive performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26. Conversely, Shubman Gill and Jitesh Sharma were unexpectedly omitted. Axar Patel returns as vice-captain, and this squad will also compete in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand prior to the World Cup.
IPL 2026 Mini-Auction Highlights
The IPL 2026 Mini-Auction saw intense bidding among all ten franchises as they sought to secure their desired players. Held in Abu Dhabi, a total of ₹215.45 crore was spent on 77 players out of a budget of ₹237.55 crore, leaving ₹22.1 crore unspent.
Cameron Green made headlines when Kolkata Knight Riders acquired him for ₹25.25 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player and the third costliest overall in IPL history. Indian domestic players Prashant Veer and Kratik Sharma also made waves, being signed for ₹14.2 crore each.
Record-Breaking Performance by Abhigyan Kundu
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu stole the spotlight with a remarkable innings of 209 runs off 125 balls during the U19 Asia Cup 2025 match against Malaysia in Dubai. His double century came in just 121 balls, leading India to a total of 408/7 and securing a 315-run victory, thus advancing to the semifinals.
Kundu, who plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket, set multiple records, including the highest individual score by an Indian in Youth ODIs and the fastest double century in U19 ODIs. Before the final, he was the leading run-scorer for India with 263 runs at an average of 263.00 across four matches.
Controversy Over Abandoned T20I Match
The fourth T20I in the series between India and South Africa was abandoned due to severe fog and poor air quality at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, where India was leading the series 2-1. This incident drew criticism towards the BCCI regarding match scheduling, especially in northern India during winter months.
Reports indicated that the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeded 400 on the day of the match. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla acknowledged the need to reassess the scheduling of matches in North India during this period to prevent weather-related issues.
India Clinches T20I Series Against South Africa
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, India secured the five-match T20I series 3-1 with a 30-run victory in the final match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on December 19. After setting a target of 231/5, India's bowlers restricted South Africa to 201/8.
Key performances included Hardik Pandya scoring 63 runs and Tilak Varma contributing 73 runs. Varun Chakravarthy was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for 53 runs.
Australia Retains the Ashes
Australia successfully retained the Ashes with a commanding 3-0 series lead after defeating England by 82 runs in Adelaide. Under the leadership of Steve Smith and later Pat Cummins, Australia won the first two Tests before sealing the series in the third.
In the final Test, Australia dismissed England for 352 while chasing a target of 435 runs, with Cummins, Starc, and Lyon each taking three wickets.
Josh Inglis's Controversial IPL Situation
Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia expressed frustration over Josh Inglis's late notification regarding his limited availability for the upcoming IPL season, which came just 45 minutes before the retention deadline. After being released, Inglis was auctioned for ₹8.6 crore by Lucknow Super Giants, despite only being available for four matches due to wedding plans in April.
Jharkhand Wins SMAT Title
Jharkhand ended a 12-year title drought by winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, defeating Haryana by 69 runs in the final at the MCA Stadium in Pune. Led by Ishan Kishan, Jharkhand posted a formidable total of 262/3, with Kishan scoring 101 runs and Kumar Kushagra adding 81.
In response, Haryana was bowled out for 193 in 18.3 overs, with Sumit Kumar taking 3 wickets for 27 runs, marking a historic achievement for Jharkhand in Indian domestic cricket.
Devon Conway's Stellar Performance
New Zealand opener Devon Conway had an outstanding performance in the third Test against the West Indies, scoring a double century and a century in both innings. His 227 runs in the first innings helped New Zealand to 575/6, followed by a second innings score of 100 runs.
Conway's achievement makes him the first New Zealand player to score a double century and a century in the same Test match, as New Zealand aims to clinch the series.