Author: Raghav Singh

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu lamented that they did not play their “best cricket” against India, which she identified as the reason for their 15-run defeat in the fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram.

India’s Historic Clean Sweep

This defeat completed a clean sweep for India Women, marking their third 5-0 victory in a bilateral T20I series, following similar results against West Indies in 2019 and Bangladesh in 2024.

Athapaththu expressed confidence in her young side’s potential for improvement in the future. “Actually, we did not play our best cricket in this tournament. Especially power hitting and batting. But some positives. We were carrying a young side. Hopefully, we can be better in the future,” said Chamari Athapaththu.

Focus on Improvement Ahead of World Cup

She also called on senior players, including herself, to elevate their game as they prepare for the Women’s T20I World Cup to be held in England. “Some seniors are playing good cricket, but not all of us are doing very well. We need to improve in a couple of areas before the World Cup. We talk about positive things in the dressing room. We were playing good cricket 6-7 months back. Our coach is very good. He motivates us to play to our potential.”

Match Summary

Chasing a target of 176 on a dry track, Sri Lanka faced an early setback when their skipper was dismissed quickly. However, Hasini Perera (65) and Imesha Dulani (50) formed a solid partnership, adding 79 runs for the second wicket.

“Some batters executed the plans in the middle. We gave India a good fight. Thanks to the BCCI and the people of India for having us,” Athapaththu added.

Arundhati Reddy disrupted Sri Lanka’s chase by taking out the dangerous Athapaththu in the second over, where she scored just two runs. Despite losing an early wicket, Sri Lanka gained momentum through the strong partnership of Perera and Dulani, which proved crucial.

Dulani’s innings culminated in her first T20I fifty, as she was stumped out by Amanjot Kaur in the 12th over, scoring 50 runs off 39 balls.

Despite the strong start, the middle and lower order subsequently collapsed, with only Rashmika Sewwandi managing to reach double figures with an unbeaten score of 14 runs from eight balls.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front with a commanding 68 off 43 balls, while India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined collective effort to seal a 5–0 whitewash over Sri Lanka in the five-match T20I series. The hosts capped off a memorable 2025 season with another emphatic win at home.

The clean sweep also marked India Women’s third 5–0 victory in a bilateral T20I series, following similar results against West Indies in 2019 and Bangladesh in 2024. India rested star player Smriti Mandhana for the match and had G Kamalini play her first T20I match as a replacement.

Kamalini opened the innings with a score of 12. Harmanpreet’s innings provided India the necessary security in the middle overs and propelled them to 175 runs with a total of 7 wickets down. Sri Lanka’s bowlers did a commendable job; each of Kavisha Dilhari, Chamari Athapaththu, and Rashmika Sewwandi took 2 wickets.

In reply, Arundhati Reddy derailed Sri Lanka’s chase by removing the very threatening Athapaththu in the second over of the match, who scored just two runs on that occasion. Although Sri Lanka lost an early wicket, they began to build momentum as Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani formed a strong second-wicket partnership, contributing 79 runs.

Dulani’s innings, which was her first T20I fifty, ended with her being stumped out by Amanjot Kaur in the 12th over after scoring 50 runs off 39 balls. Perera continued to shine for Sri Lanka, reaching her first T20I fifty in just eight matches—recorded as the second most number of innings taken by a full-member team to achieve their first fifty in T20I matches. She scored 81 runs from 42 balls, hitting eight fours and one six, but succumbed to Shree Charani’s bowling in the seventeenth over.

After the two fifties, the middle and lower order for Sri Lanka crumbled, with only Rashmika Sewwandi making it to double figures, finishing with an unbeaten score of 14 runs from eight balls.

On the bowling side, India were outstanding, with six players collecting at least one wicket. Deepti Sharma set a record, becoming the leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20I after removing Nilakshi de Silva, while Sneh Rana and Shree Charani both finished with identical figures of 1/31.

As a result of this latest loss to India and earlier defeats in a five-game T20I series against the West Indies, Sri Lanka’s woes have continued, leaving them at 0-5 in the series against both of these excellent teams.

Brief scores:
India Women 175/7 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Arundhati Reddy 27; Kavisha Dilhari 2-11, Chamari Athapaththu 2-21) beat Sri Lanka Women 160/7 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 65, Imesha Dulani 50; Deepti Sharma 1-28, Sneh Rana 1-31) by 15 runs.

UP Warriorz have signed Australia’s Charli Knott as a replacement for left-arm medium-pacer Tara Norris, who will be unavailable for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season. Norris has been selected for the USA national team for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, scheduled to take place in Nepal from January 18 to February 3, 2026.

Knott, an uncapped Australian all-rounder, has been signed at her reserve price of INR 10 lakh and is set to make her debut in WPL. Although she is uncapped at the international level, Knott brings substantial experience, having played in six seasons of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) and two seasons of The Hundred.

This highly-rated young all-rounder is known for her solid batting technique, disciplined off-spin bowling, and the ability to contribute across different areas, adding depth and versatility to the UP Warriorz squad ahead of WPL 2026.

Kshemal Waingankar, COO of UP Warriorz, commented, “We wish Tara the very best for her international assignment. We are excited to welcome Charli Knott to UP Warriorz. She is a promising all-rounder with the skill set and temperament to contribute across departments and make an impact.”

With Charli Knott set for her first WPL season, UP Warriorz are focused on building a well-rounded squad for WPL 2026, combining emerging talent with experience. The team will kick off their campaign on January 10 against Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

In other news, Australian all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland have withdrawn from WPL 2026 for personal reasons and have been replaced by their respective franchises.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have named Sayali Satghare as a replacement for Perry. Satghare, who represents Mumbai at the domestic level and has previously been part of the Gujarat Giants squad, will join RCB at her reserve price of INR 30 lakh.

Three-time finalists Delhi Capitals have signed Aussie Alana King as a replacement for Sutherland. King, a leg-spinner, has previously represented UP Warriorz and has played in 27 T20Is, taking 27 wickets. She will join DC at a reserve price of INR 60 lakh.

Ranchi Royals enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 victory over Shrachi Bengal Tigers in their second match of the Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) 2025-26 Season at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium in Ranchi. Lucina von der Heyde (33′, 57′), Hannah Cotter (10′), Beauty Dungdung (14′), and Sangita Kumari (44′) registered goals for Ranchi Royals.

Strong Start for Ranchi Royals

Ranchi Royals began the match on a strong note, controlling possession and creating numerous chances. They made 17 circle entries in the first half, asserting their dominance in attack. In the fifth minute, the Royals earned their first penalty corner but were unable to score, as Sabine Plonissen’s shot was deflected away.

First Goal and Growing Lead

In the 10th minute, Ranchi Royals opened their account with a goal from New Zealand’s Hannah Cotter. Sakshi Rana provided a great pass into the circle, and after a deflection, Cotter slotted it into the net. Shortly after, Shrachi Bengal Tigers secured a penalty corner, but couldn’t capitalize on it.

Ranchi Royals doubled their lead in the 14th minute when Neha won another penalty corner. Lucina von der Heyde’s initial shot was blocked, but Beauty Dungdung showed determination to pounce on the rebound and scored.

Defensive Resilience from Bengal Tigers

The second quarter saw Ranchi Royals maintaining good ball control and creating chances, but Shrachi Bengal Tigers defended resolutely. Jennifer Rizzo made crucial saves towards the end of the first half, denying strong efforts from Augustina Albertarrio and Sakshi Rana.

Third Quarter Breakthrough

In the opening minutes of the third quarter, Ranchi Royals increased their lead again. Lucina von der Heyde dribbled from the left flank, playing the ball to Rutuja Dadaso Pisal on the baseline, who set it back perfectly for Lucina, and her shot took a deflection into the goal.

Further Goals by Royals

Ranchi Royals struck again in the 44th minute. Maria Sofia Darnay found Sangita Kumari in front of goal, who easily slapped the ball into the net, thrilling the home crowd.

Final Quarter Action

Shrachi Bengal Tigers aimed for a consolation goal in the last quarter; however, Ranchi Royals held firm and relied on counterattacks. With just four minutes remaining, the Royals won another penalty corner, converting it with a precise shot from Lucina von der Heyde to secure the fifth goal.

All matches of the Hockey India League will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3, and DD Sports. The matches will also be live-streamed on Waves and the Hockey India League YouTube channel.

The England team breathed a collective sigh of relief as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has given the players a clean chit regarding allegations of excessive drinking during a team-building trip to Noosa between the second and third Tests of The Ashes tour 2025-26.

Multiple reports had suggested that England players were involved in excessive drinking during this trip, aimed at helping them recover from their defeat and prepare for the upcoming match. However, recent reports indicate that the ECB found no misconduct on the part of the English players during the trip.

Despite various videos circulating on social media showing top-order batter Ben Duckett appearing drunk after partying late into the night, the ECB concluded that there was “no misconduct,” and no disciplinary action will be taken against the players.

According to a report in The Daily Mail, if the ECB had identified any concerns, they would have acted immediately rather than waiting until after the Ashes loss. The report noted, “The procedure of the inquiry was not disclosed to the public, and the verdict was drafted against ‘beer drinking’ and no other misconduct.”

Top ECB official Rob Key stated that the reason for the “no misconduct” verdict was that nothing was flagged by the security personnel assigned to the team in Australia. “The England cricket team had security personnel for the trip to Noosa, who were authorised to intervene if any misbehaviour or red flag activities occurred. However, they weren’t needed, and the break was more like a bachelorette party,” the report added.

This conclusion will provide the England team with much relief as they head to Sydney for their next and final assignment Down Under—the fifth and final Test of the series starting on January 4.

After falling to an unassailable 0-3 deficit, England managed to salvage some pride by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne within two days. Ben Stokes and his team aim to finish the series on a high note by pursuing a 3-2 victory in the final encounter in Sydney.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front, scoring a brilliant 68 off 43 deliveries as India Women, bolstered by a late blitz from Arundhati Reddy (27 off 11 balls), posted 175/7 in 20 overs against Sri Lanka in the fifth and final T20I match of the series at the Greenfield International Stadium on Tuesday.

Match Overview

India faced a tough start at 77 for 5, but skipper Kaur added 61 runs in 38 deliveries alongside Amanjot Kaur (21), helping the team to a respectable total.

Earlier, India suffered early setbacks as opener Shafali Varma’s outstanding run of form came to an abrupt end. After scoring fifty-plus in three consecutive innings, Varma was caught at long-on for just 1 in the second over. Making her international debut, Gunalan Kamalini showed confidence with some early boundaries, but her innings ended at 12 runs. Along with Harleen Deol, who scored 13 including two boundaries, they contributed 22 runs for the second wicket.

Late Contributions Shine

India’s late surge ensured a competitive total of 175 for 7, especially after they seemed to be falling short. The final four overs yielded 51 runs, significantly improving the innings, particularly after Kavisha Dilhari bowled a tight four-run over, leading India to smash 47 off the remaining three.

Harmanpreet Kaur anchored the innings, avoiding a dip in momentum while wickets tumbled at the other end. Her performance resembled the fearless and proactive style of her Mumbai Inddigihunt days. Amanjot Kaur provided vital support, staying long enough to forge a crucial 61-run partnership for the sixth wicket, which stabilized the innings ahead of the final assault.

At 142 for 7 in the 18th over, with dew expected to set in, India appeared on track to fall below par. However, Arundhati Reddy’s explosive cameo of 27 off 11 balls provided the perfect finishing touch, elevating the total to a healthier mark. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu may reflect on a few tactical decisions, especially not completing Dilhari’s quota, given her standout bowling figures of 2-11 in two overs.

While India found the seam easier to handle, they faced eight overs of it. Although Shafali, Kamalini, Deol, Ghosh, and Deepti fell to poorly executed shots, the captain ensured the innings remained alive, culminating in a strong finish.

Brief Scores

India Women 175/7 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Arundhati Reddy 27 not out; Kavisha Dilhari 2/11, Chamari Athapaththu 2/21) against Sri Lanka Women.

Top domestic football club Odisha FC is experiencing a significant transition at the top, with CEO Raj Athwal stepping down from his position just four days after the club mutually parted ways with head coach Sergio Lobera.

The club confirmed Athwal’s departure in an official statement, noting that the decision was communicated by the CEO and accepted by the management.

“Odisha FC can confirm that CEO Raj Athwal has informed the club management of his decision to move on, and the club has accepted the same. The club would like to thank Raj for his leadership, professionalism, and contributions during his tenure with the club.

“Under his stewardship, Odisha FC secured its first-ever silverware with the Super Cup triumph, followed by the Indian Women’s League 2023-24 and achieved qualification for the AFC competition knockout stages by both the men’s and women’s teams of Odisha FC,” the statement read.

The club also outlined interim administrative arrangements as it navigates this transition period.

“As we move forward and await further clarity regarding the league, our General Manager, Ravi Khedar, will serve as the primary Point of Contact (POC) for all club communications and matters during this transition period,” the statement added.

Reacting to Athwal’s exit, club owner Rohan Sharma expressed appreciation for the outgoing CEO’s contributions over the past five years.

“Having known and worked with Raj for 5 years, I’m sad to see him go. I know he will always be a well-wisher for the club. He knows he’s always welcome back, and I wish him nothing but the best for him and his family,” Sharma said.

Athwal’s departure follows closely after Odisha FC announced the end of their association with head coach Lobera on December 26, with both parties agreeing to part ways.

“Odisha FC and Head Coach Sergio Lobera have mutually agreed to part ways. The Club would like to thank Coach Sergio for his dedication, professionalism, and contributions during his tenure with the Club. We wish Sergio the very best for his future endeavours. The club is waiting for clarity on the league and will make an announcement regarding the new head coach accordingly,” the club had stated.

Addya Katyal of Delhi delivered a calm and composed performance in the final to clinch the Junior Women’s Trap title at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions (Shotgun), currently taking place at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range near New Delhi.

Addya topped the event with 42 hits, closely followed by Uttar Pradesh’s Sabeera Haris, who finished with 41 hits to secure the silver medal. Tanisska Senthilkumar from Tamil Nadu took the bronze with 28 hits.

Earlier, Addya had dominated the qualification round with an impressive 112 hits, showcasing her strong form heading into the final. Bhavya Tripathi of Delhi placed second in qualification with 110 hits but finished sixth in the final with just 11 hits. Tanisska qualified third with 105 hits, followed by Darshna Rathore of Rajasthan with 104, Sabeera Haris with 102, and Ananya Yaduvanshi of Delhi with 101, rounding out the top six who moved on to the medal round.

During the final, Addya exhibited remarkable consistency under pressure, pulling ahead at critical moments to secure the gold. Sabeera mounted a strong challenge and remained in contention until the very end, finishing a mere one hit behind. Tanisska remained steady through the middle phases of the final to take third place, while Darshna Rathore placed fourth with 23 hits and Ananya Yaduvanshi concluded in fifth with 17 hits.

Delhi also claimed the Junior Women’s Trap team gold with a combined score of 323, thanks to the efforts of Addya Katyal, Bhavya Tripathi, and Ananya Yaduvanshi. Tamil Nadu finished second in the team standings with a score of 295, represented by Tanisska Senthilkumar, Nilaa Rajaa Baalu, and Anthra Rajsekar. Rajasthan secured third place with a total of 274, contributed by Darshna Rathore, Maitreyi Singh, and Mahika Kitawat.

The action at the 68th NSCC continues into the new year, with the 10m Air Rifle Women finals scheduled for January 2, 2026, at the MP State Shooting Academy in Bhopal, while the Trap Men final will also take place on the same day at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi.

Other Results:

50m Rifle Prone Women

Senior:

• Priya (ARMU) – Gold (626.3)
• Ashi Chouksey (Madhya Pradesh) – Silver (625.7)
• Nischal (Haryana) – Bronze (624.3)

Senior Team:

• Haryana (Nischal, Swati, Aakriti Dahiya) – Gold (1863.1)
• Punjab (Anjum Moudgil, Nimrat Kaur Brar, Sift Kaur Samra) – Silver (1859.9)
• Madhya Pradesh (Ashi Chouksey, Sunidhi Chauhan, Nupur Kumrawat) – Bronze (1856.0)

Junior:

• Nischal (Haryana) – 624.3
• Nimrat Kaur Brar (Punjab) – 622.7
• Tilottama Sen (Karnataka) – 622.4

Junior Team:

• Punjab (Nimrat Kaur Brar, Gursidak Kaur Khosa, Harsehajreet Kaur Jhajj) – Gold (1855.5)
• Chandigarh (Geet, Maitreyi Hooda, Mahit Sandhu) – Silver (1847.2)
• Karnataka (Tilottama Sen, Vanshika Lahoria, Anushka H Thokur) – Bronze (1820.4)

Youth:

• Nimrat Kaur Brar (Punjab) – Gold (622.7)
• Tilottama Sen (Karnataka) – 622.4
• Gursidak Kaur Khosa (Punjab) – Silver (620.3)

Deaf:

• Mahit Sandhu (Chandigarh) – Gold (615.0)
• Natasha Uday Joshi (Maharashtra) – Silver (613.6)
• Priyesha Deshmukh (Maharashtra) – Bronze (603.8)

Civilian:

• Nimrat Kaur Brar (Punjab) – Gold (622.7)
• Grishma Bharattkumar Mistry (Gujarat) – Silver (620.7)
• Gursidak Kaur Khosa (Punjab) – Bronze (620.3)

Civilian Team:

• Punjab (Nimrat Kaur Brar, Gursidak Kaur Khosa, Mahek Jatana) – Gold (1858.6)
• Gujarat (Grishma Bharattkumar Mistry, Pallavi Suthar, Shraddha Mansukhbhai Thumar) – Silver (1842.3)
• Rajasthan (Sweety Choudhary, Monika Jakhar, Khwaish Sharma) – Bronze (1841.9)

Civilian Junior:

• Nimrat Kaur Brar (Punjab) – Gold (622.7)
• Gursidak Kaur Khosa (Punjab) – Silver (620.3)
• Prarthana Sen (Madhya Pradesh) – Bronze (619.0)

Civilian Junior Team:

• Punjab (Nimrat Kaur Brar, Gursidak Kaur Khosa, Harserajreet Kaur Jhajj) – Gold (1855.5)
• Madhya Pradesh (Yugeshwari Bais, Sharanya Lakhan, Archana Damale) – Silver (1840.2)
• Maharashtra (Sanya Sudesh Sapale, Vedanti Naresh Bhatt, Nirzara Shivaji Patil) – Bronze (1835.6)

Master:

• Tejaswini Sawant (Maharashtra) – Gold
• Kuheli Gangulee (CISF) – Silver
• Poonam Choudhary (Rajasthan) – Bronze

25m Standard Pistol

Senior:

• Harsh Gupta (Delhi) – Gold (579-18x)
• Gurpreet Singh (Army) – Silver (575-16x)
• Adarsh Singh (Haryana) – Bronze (575-12x)

Senior Team:

• Army Marksmanship Unit (Gurpreet Singh, Deepandra Singh, Pradhyumn Singh) – Gold (1700.0-41x)
• Punjab (Vuayveer Sidhu, Amanpreet Singh, Udhayveer Sidhu) – Silver (1691.0-41x)
• Haryana (Adarsh Singh, Gourav Gupta, Sameer) – Bronze (1680.0-25x)

Junior:

• Abhinav Deshwal (Uttarakhand) – Gold (570-10x)
• Mukesh Nelavalli (Andhra Pradesh) – Silver (569-13x)
• Abhinav Choudhary (Rajasthan) – Bronze (566-16x)

Junior Team:

• Rajasthan (Somil Chaudhary, Yogesh Kumar, Aditya Choudhary) – Gold (1668.0-27x)
• Madhya Pradesh (Suraj Sharma, Sahil Choudhary, Yugpratap Singh Rathore) – Silver (1667.0-32x)
• Uttar Pradesh (Parth Rana, Avinish Singh, Ishan Khan) – Bronze (1664.0-27x)

Deaf:

• Abhinav Deshwal (Uttarakhand) – Gold (570-10x)
• Yash Ahlawat (Uttar Pradesh) – Silver (536-6x)
• Shubham Vashist (Haryana) – Bronze (534-6x)

Civilian:

• Abhay Pratap Singh (Uttar Pradesh) – Gold (568-15x)
• Nishant Tomar (Uttar Pradesh) – Silver (565-15x)
• Sarthak Sandhu (Haryana) – Bronze (564-13x)

Civilian Team:

• Haryana (Sarthak Sandhu, Ashwani Yadav, Gourav Gupta) – Gold (1679-34x)
• Rajasthan (Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Kartikey, Aditya Choudhary) – Silver (1665-33x)
• Punjab (Sukrant, Baljit Singh, Chandan Jot Singh) – Bronze (1658-26x)

Civilian Junior:

• Granth Chaudhary (Rajasthan) – Gold (561-12x)
• Sukrant (Punjab) – Silver (561-10x)
• Somil Chaudhary (Rajasthan) – Bronze (561-10x)

Civilian Junior Team:

• Punjab (Manav Singh, Gurgaven Singh Sidhu, Harmanpreet Singh) – Gold (1661.0-26x)
• Punjab (Sukrant, Biruday Partap Singh, Udayraj Singh Aujla) – Silver (1655.0-23x)
• Uttar Pradesh (Parth Rana, Avinsh Singh, Karan Chauhan) – Bronze (1652.0-23x)

Master:

• Mahesh Hire (Maharashtra) – Gold
• Pemba Tamang, SM (Arunachal Pradesh) – Silver
• Sib Kumar Ghosh (West Bengal) – Bronze

Senior Master:

• Ashok Pandit (Maharashtra) – Gold
• Akash Deep Singh Gill (Chandigarh) – Silver
• Dhyan Singh (Uttar Pradesh) – Bronze

Super Master:

• Ashok Pandit (Maharashtra) – Gold
• Prabhat Kumar Singh (Uttar Pradesh) – Silver
• Shyam Singh Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) – Bronze

Sri Lanka Women won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the fifth and final T20I of the series at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.

India is currently leading 4-0 in the five-match series and is eyeing a clean sweep. The first two matches took place in Visakhapatnam, and the final three are being held in Thiruvananthapuram.

Debut for Kamalini

Gunalan Kamalini is set to make her international debut for India as Smriti Mandhana, Renuka Thakur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Kranti Goud have been rested. Sneh Rana and Harleen Deol return to the playing eleven. Kamalini, a 17-year-old top-order batter who also keeps wickets, was part of India’s Under-19 team that clinched the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year. She was Tamil Nadu’s leading run-scorer in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.

Changes in Sri Lanka’s Squad

For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera and Malki Madara are back in the team.

Captain’s Views

Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka Women’s captain, stated, “We will bowl first. We played some good cricket in the last game, so we decided to bowl first. We learnt a lot of things this year. We played against the World Champions. This opportunity will be very good for the youngsters. We will carry the positives into the new year.”

Harmanpreet Kaur, India Women’s captain, mentioned, “We were okay to bat first also. It is an important match. So let’s take it that way. How we started this series, that’s exactly how we want to finish. We have two changes: Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Thakur are resting. G. Kamalini makes her debut. Sneh Rana is back.”

Playing XIs:

Sri Lanka Women: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Imesha Dulani, Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama (vc), Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Rashmika Sewwandi, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Nimasha Madushani, Inoka Ranaweera, Malki Madara.

India Women: Shafali Verma, G. Kamalini, Richa Ghosh (wk), Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Vaishnavi Sharma, Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy.

Chennai Super Kings has announced the opening of a new academy centre at KSR Educational Institutions in Tiruchengode, further bolstering its grassroots cricket development programme in Tamil Nadu.

Expansion in Tamil Nadu

The Tiruchengode centre is the 12th city in Tamil Nadu where the Super Kings Academy has established its presence, highlighting its commitment to nurturing young cricketing talent across the state. Worldwide, the academy operates over 35 centres, making it one of the largest cricket academy networks globally.

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Officially commencing operations on January 19, 2026, the new SKA centre will provide aspiring cricketers with access to modern infrastructure, expert coaching staff, and structured development pathways—classic features of the Super Kings Academy ecosystem. The academy will feature 2 turf pitches, 2 astro turf pitches, 3 matting pitches, in addition to two grounds, a dedicated match simulation area, a bowling machine, floodlights for evening practice, and a gym with a swimming pool.

Expert Insights

KS Viswanathan, Managing Director of Chennai Super Kings, stated: “Even while we expand globally, Tamil Nadu has always been a strong nursery for cricketing talent, and Tiruchengode is an important addition to our growing footprint in the state. Our aim at Super Kings Academy is to provide young players with world-class facilities, expert coaching, and the right opportunities to help them realise their full potential. Partnering with KSR Educational Institutions allows us to bring professional cricket training closer to aspiring players in this region.”

R. Srinivasan, Chairman of KSR Educational Institutions, expressed: “We are delighted to associate with Super Kings Academy, a name synonymous with excellence and professionalism in cricket. This academy at KSR Educational Institutions will not only enhance our sports infrastructure but also give students and young cricketers in and around Tiruchengode access to elite-level coaching and exposure. We believe this partnership will play a key role in developing future cricketing talent.”

Commitment to Excellence

Super Kings Academy serves as a cricket coaching centre for boys and girls, equipped with modern infrastructure and expert coaching. Launched in April 2022, the academy is currently operational in over 35 centres across India, the USA, Australia, and Canada.