Yastika Bhatia scripts history for India, becomes first woman to scor…

London [UK], July 13 (ANI): India batter Yastika Bhatia became the first-ever woman cricketer to score a Test century at Lord’s, producing a memorable 113 against England to etch her name on the iconic honours board and add another glorious chapter to Indian cricket’s rich history at the ‘Home of Cricket’. argolida.life

The left-hander’s landmark knock came in India’s second innings of the one-off Test, making her the first woman to register a century at Lord’s since women’s Test cricket began at the historic venue. In the process, Bhatia joined an elite list of 13 Indian batters that includes Vinoo Mankad, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, all of whom have scored Test hundreds at Lord’s.

Resuming her innings on 39 not out on Day 3 of the one-off Test match, Bhatia batted with remarkable composure and fluency. She reached her maiden Test century off 145 deliveries with a classy drive through extra cover and celebrated the milestone with an emotional punch of the air.

Her innings of 113 featured 14 boundaries before she was caught at extra cover while attempting to loft England spinner Sophie Ecclestone. As she walked back, Bhatia received a standing ovation from spectators and members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), while several England players applauded her historic effort.

Bhatia’s century capped an impressive comeback tour after returning to international cricket earlier this year following knee surgery. She had begun the England tour with a half-century in the opening T20I before finishing it with the biggest innings of her Test career.

India’s commanding second-innings total was also built around useful contributions from Smriti Mandhana (70) and Richa Ghosh, whose unbeaten 50 helped the visitors declare on 341/7 and set England a daunting target of 457.

Earlier in the match, India pacer Kranti Gaud had become the first woman cricketer to feature on the Lord’s honours board for a Test five-wicket haul after claiming outstanding figures of 5/37 in England’s first innings.

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone also entered the honours board after returning figures of 5/118 in India’s second innings, becoming the first England woman to register a Test five-wicket haul at Lord’s. She finished with eight wickets in the match after bowling 55.2 overs.

By stumps on Day 3, England were reeling at 130/6, still needing 327 runs with only four wickets in hand, leaving India on the verge of a famous victory. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Boria Majumdar in Birmingham

Bazball. The hype around it has been surreal in recent times. It was as if, by being aggressive with both bat and ball irrespective of the match situation, England would simply blow the opposition away. Many believed the approach was condition-agnostic. The win in the first Test at Leeds in 2025 against India only added to the Bazball narrative and enhanced its aura.

But did it push the players towards a degree of brazen bravado? Isn’t there a very thin line between that and silliness? Putting India in to bat on a placid Edgbaston pitch in the second Test, for example, could only be described as brazenness. To play expansive shots on the second evening in Birmingham was fraught with risk, and when quality batters attempted them, it defied logic.

Coming into Birmingham, I couldn’t help but think back to the second Test last year and wonder whether that was the beginning of the end for Brendon McCullum, who was relieved of his duties as England’s Test coach on Sunday.

If there was one moment in the Birmingham Test that can, in hindsight, be labelled the turning point, it was Joe Root’s dismissal to Akash Deep off a dream delivery. Had Root stayed, England may not have lost the match. Instead, the batters around him continued to play high-risk shots.

That is why Bazball had to be questioned. If it doesn’t allow room for flexibility and prudence, it cannot succeed as a long-term strategy. Obstinacy may breed false aggression, but it cannot produce a winning formula for years.

England under McCullum never seemed to accept that Bazball would not always work. While it could succeed on certain occasions, it would invariably be tested in conditions that demanded attritional cricket.

Opponents, frankly, did not mind Bazball. In fact, they welcomed it. They knew that if they could keep England quiet for a few overs, a false shot would eventually come. The mindset was such that England simply would not change course. Did Bazball have a fall-back option? Did England under McCullum know how to play any other way? McCullum, it must be said, did not encourage his players to adapt, and that ultimately counted against him.

Perhaps it was only a matter of time. The way the last Test against New Zealand unfolded was, in many ways, a disservice to the game. Ben Stokes promoting himself to open the batting was unnecessary. However good a player he is, allowing him to do so was a strange decision by McCullum. That may well have been the final straw.

There is a lesson for India in McCullum’s story as well. It highlights the dangers of a one-dimensional approach and underlines why every team needs a Plan B. India has already seen how a high-risk, high-reward style can unravel in English conditions. Add McCullum’s sacking to the equation, and there is enough for Gautam Gambhir to reflect upon as he considers the adjustments that may be needed.

The game is always bigger than any philosophy, and no strategy can claim to have mastered all its nuances. McCullum learnt that lesson the hard way and paid the price. One hopes Gambhir gets it right – for himself and for India.

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100 Thieves made history at the Esports World Cup 2026. They defeated the reigning World Champions, NRG, in Valorant. This huge upset ended a long major title drought. The thrilling 3-1 series kept fans completely on edge. Despite facing a vastly experienced NRG squad, 100T dominated. Their talented roster excelled in critical one-on-one situations. Individual playmaking proved to be the ultimate difference maker.

100 Thieves Wins EWC 2026 VALORANT Event

NRG gained an early advantage in the skirmish selection. However, 100T controlled the entire pace once the match started. They patiently countered NRG’s structured strategies. This careful patience earned them a 3-2 lead early. NRG had to waste early timeouts to desperately adjust. At halftime, 100T enjoyed a massive 9-3 advantage. Shotcaller Jordan “vora” Pulwer secured huge cross-map plays. His clutch Hunter’s Fury attacks halted NRG in their tracks. His bold leadership gave 100T a solid 13-7 map win.

Agent Swaps Fall Short

Game Two took place on the tricky Sunset map. NRG swapped their Agents to desperately find an advantage. The strategic plan failed as 100T quickly took control. Soon after, 100T extended their lead to an impressive 4-1. NRG found themselves trailing 8-1 before showing some life. Quick post-plant setups by 100T made retakes extremely difficult. 100T ultimately claimed the map after a side swap.

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A clean sweep seemed highly inevitable for 100 Thieves. However, they completely collapsed on the Haven map. NRG took Game Three, sparking fears of a reverse sweep. Game Four on Ascent started terribly for 100T. NRG built a massive 6-0 defensive lead early on. By halftime, NRG was leading quite comfortably at 9-3.

Then, 100T found fresh momentum after winning the pistol round. Timothée “Timotino” Lavigne Dupont delivered an incredible Jett performance. The team magically rallied to tie the game at 10-10. NRG pushed ahead to 12-10, reaching a dangerous match point. Refusing to lose, 100T won twice to force tiebreakers. Then, a legendary defensive hold won them the entire tournament.

100 Thieves earned $600,000 for their incredible championship victory. They also gained 1,000 Club Championship points. NRG took home $340,000 as the honorable tournament runner-up. They also secured 750 Championship points for their overall efforts.

The post 100 Thieves Stuns NRG for EWC 2026 Valorant Crown appeared first on Inside Sport India.

Four years after inauguration, the running track at a well-funded university in South India had started peeling. Not in one corner. Across most of the back straight. The surface, which looked fine in photos at the handover ceremony, had lifted away from the sub-base in patches where monsoon water had found its way underneath. The […]

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