Articles by News18,Rudransh Khurana

Sports

How A 4-Month-Old Baby Inspired India's Win Over Australia In WC Semi-Final

Sometimes inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of places, and the same seems to have happened with the Indian women’s team just before the 2025 World Cup semi-final against Australia. According to Kranti Gaud, a member of the 11 that beat the defending champions by five wickets for the historic achievement, a four-month-old girl and her mother gave the team just the push they needed on the eve of the match. On the eve of the match, members of the team and coaching staff visited a temple where they encountered a woman who shared a simple yet powerful dream: she hoped her infant daughter would one day become a cricketer. The sincerity of that wish left a lasting impression on everyone present. Moved by the mother’s faith and love for the sport, the team collectively resolved to give everything they had on the field. “The thought of a mother, so devoted to women’s cricket, dreaming of her baby becoming part of this sport moved us all,” Kranti recalled, as per The Times of India. Jemimah Rodrigues produced a stunning unbeaten 127 as India chased down a record 339 to beat the Aussies. Phoebe Litchfield (119) and Ellyse Perry (77) powered Australia to 338, while Shree Charani (2/49) and Deepti Sharma (2/73) claimed the most wickets. In reply, after Shafali Verma’s early dismissal, Jemimah and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89) rebuilt with a 167-run stand, India’s highest ever in a World Cup knockout. Richa Ghosh’s quickfire 26 guided India home with nine balls to spare. The team visited several temples throughout the journey, including some in Mumbai, before the final against South Africa, which they also clinched by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium. In the summit clash, after being asked to bat, Shafali Verma (87) and Smriti Mandhana (45) gave India a solid start, while Deepti Sharma (58) and Richa Ghosh (34) powered them to 298. South Africa’s chase was anchored by Laura Wolvaardt’s century, but wickets fell at regular intervals. Deepti’s five-wicket haul and Shafali’s key strikes sealed the win as South Africa were dismissed for 246.

Sports

After 13 Years Of Hardship, WC-Winner Kranti Gaud's Father To Get Police Job Back

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced that Munna Singh Gaud, father of India’s Women’s World Cup-winning bowler Kranti Gaud, will be reinstated as a police constable. Gaud was dismissed from service in 2012 following an alleged error during election duty, a setback that pushed his family into severe financial hardship. During Kranti’s felicitation ceremony in Bhopal, Yadav praised the bowler for bringing glory to both the state and the nation, saying it was only right that her father’s dignity be restored. He also revealed plans to build a world-class stadium in Kranti’s hometown of Chhatarpur to promote local sporting talent, as well as a ‘grand’ public event on November 15, Tribal Pride Day, to celebrate her achievements. Kranti, who became emotional while recalling her journey, said her family often relied on neighbours for food after her father’s dismissal. Her eldest brother had to quit his studies and take up a job to support the family. Kranti, who used to watch the boys in her neighborhood play cricket but would not indulge herself in any games that the girls would play, was enrolled in an academy in Chhatarpur. Her coaches supported her with equipment and eased her transition into Madhya Pradesh’s age-group teams. “Since I could find another job and my sons had started working, I used to travel with her to Chhatarpur. Her coach would take all the girls together for any tournaments, but still, we used to be nervous and scared whenever she travelled far. Roshni and I used to travel separately to watch her play. It’s only the start of her career, but we feel all our sacrifices have paid off,” Munna Singh earlier told The Indian Express. She only made her debut in May 2025, having impressed in the Women’s Premier League. Now, as a World Cup winner, who contributed with key wickets in the group stage, she’s a popular figure and an inspiration back home. Her coaches hope to see more girls enroll after seeing her achievements while her family’s life might also nudge others to dream big and support their daughters’ dreams.

Technology

Ex-ENG Captain Shocked As Rohit Sharma Tops ICC ODI Rankings: 'Can't Believe It...'

Former England captain Nasser Hussain was stunned to know that Rohit Sharma had topped the ICC men’s ODI rankings for the first time after his match-winning century against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday (October 25). Hussain was confused about how someone with Rohit’s longevity and record, including three double centuries, never allowed him to be number one in his prime. Rohit has been the fourth-highest run-scorer in ODIs since the start of 2023, with 1916 runs in 41 matches at an average of 51.78 and a staggering strike rate of 112.83. He has hit 13 fifties and four centuries in this time. “I can’t believe it, to be honest,” Hussain told ICC. “I heard he [Rohit Sharma] went to number one, and my first question was-when has he been at number one before? And someone said it’s the first time. I mean, he’s been around forever; he’s got three double hundreds in ODI cricket. There must have been some good white-ball players, one-day players in the last 15 years. Fabulous white-ball cricketer, fabulous player, and well done to him. He deserves to be number one in the world,” he added. Former India wicketkeeper and Rohit’s friend Dinesh Karthik was also surprised that the former India captain didn’t go to the top of the rankings during the 2019 World Cup. He was the top run-scorer in the tournament with 648 runs in nine innings at an average of 81. “I am surprised that in the 2019 World Cup he wasn’t No. 1 somewhere during the tournament. Just the way he batted-it was poetry in motion. It was fascinating to watch how much effort he put in during the lead-up to the series. Prior to this series, over the last three to four years, when the ball was seaming, his only modus operandi was hit out or get out. Here, he actually went back to being a good old-fashioned opener, where he left the ball and played defensively. He almost showed what it takes to do well in such tough conditions as an opener,” Karthik said. Karthik isn’t wrong. Rohit had his career-best rating of 882 against Sri Lanka on July 6, 2025. However, at that time, Virat Kohli was at the top of the rankings with 889 points and remained at that spot throughout the tournament.