Indian cricket delivers a packed news cycle as international action, domestic milestones and off-field moments dominate headlines. From India Women closing in on a series win against Sri Lanka to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma lighting up the Vijay Hazare Trophy, here is a complete Zee Sports Morning Bulletin bringing together all the key developments.
India Women Eye Series Seal Against Sri Lanka
India Women take on Sri Lanka Women in the third T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, with a chance to go 3-0 up in the five match series. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side dominated the second T20I, restricting Sri Lanka to 128 for nine before Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 69 off 34 balls sealed a seven wicket win.
India’s spin attack has been decisive. Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani continue to impress, while Deepti Sharma is set to return after recovering from illness. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are struggling to convert starts into big scores, with Chamari Athapaththu once again carrying the batting responsibility.
Statistically, India remain far ahead, winning 22 of the 28 T20Is played between the sides. With the Greenfield surface known for high scoring games, Sri Lanka will need a collective performance to stay alive in the series.
Key Records and Milestones in Focus
Several records could fall in the third T20I. Smriti Mandhana needs five fours to reach 550 T20I boundaries, Shafali Verma is closing in on 300 fours, while Jemimah Rodrigues is just 30 runs away from 2,500 T20I runs. Deepti Sharma is also two wickets short of the 150 wicket milestone in T20I cricket.
Chamari Athapaththu remains the leading run scorer in IND-W vs SL-W T20Is with 589 runs, while Deepti and Inoka Ranaweera lead the wicket charts with 17 wickets each.
Fitness Watch Ahead of Third T20I
India Women head coach Amol Muzumdar confirmed Jemimah Rodrigues missed training due to a minor fitness issue but is expected to be available, with a final call to be taken on match morning. Deepti Sharma is fully fit, creating a selection headache after Sneh Rana’s impressive performance in the second T20I.
Kohli and Rohit Shine in Vijay Hazare Trophy
The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 witnessed blockbuster returns as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma smashed centuries in the opening round. Kohli scored 131 off 101 balls for Delhi, while Rohit hammered 155 in a successful chase for Mumbai.
However, fans hoping to watch them live will be disappointed. Their second round matches will not be televised or live streamed, with only Assam vs Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand vs Rajasthan available on JioHotstar. Both Kohli and Rohit’s matches begin at 9 am IST, with toss scheduled for 8.30 am.
Hardik Pandya’s Calm Response Goes Viral
India all rounder Hardik Pandya found himself at the centre of a viral moment after a fan misbehaved with him outside a restaurant on Christmas Eve. Despite being told “Bhaad mein jaa” by a fan, Hardik showed maturity and walked away without reacting.
On the field, Hardik continues to deliver. He recently scored the second fastest T20I fifty for India and surpassed Yuvraj Singh for most instances of scoring a fifty and taking a wicket in the same T20I match.
Ashes Boxing Day Test Update
Australia endured a tough morning at the MCG as Steve Smith’s poor run continued. Smith was dismissed for a single digit score once again by Josh Tongue, leaving Australia four down early. England’s pace attack rattled the top order, with Australia limping to 72 for four by the end of the first session.
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