India six wickets away from winning in Centurion
India need six wickets on Day 5 to win the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa, at SuperSport Park, Centurion. At stumps on Day 4, South Africa are 94/4 in 40.5 overs, requiring another 211 to win. However, with rain predicted, they may prefer to bat out the entire day. Dean Elgar is still in the middle, on 52.
Earlier, India resumed the day at 16/1 in the second innings and were bowled out for 174 to set South Africa a target of 305. Rishabh Pant top-scored for India with a run-a-ball 34. For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took four wickets each, while Lungi Ngidi finished with 2-31.
ICC Men’s T20I and Women’s ODI POTY nominees announced
The ICC shortlisted Jos Buttler, Mitchell Marsh, Mohammad Rizwan and Wanindu Hasaranga for the Men's T20I Player of the Year award. They also nominated Lizelle Lee, Tammy Beaumont, Hayley Matthews and Fatima Sana for the Women’s ODI Player of the Year award.
Rizwan and Lee finished as highest run-getters in the calendar year in their respective shortlisted formats. Marsh and Matthews starred with both bat and ball, while Hasaranga, the top-ranked T20I bowler in the world, claimed 36 wickets at an average of 11.63.
USA-Ireland ODIs cancelled after new Covid-19 cases
The three-match ODI series between the USA and Ireland was called off after two Irish players were identified as close contacts of Covid-19 positive cases.
The series had earlier been interrupted after members of the USA squad and umpires were tested positive for the Coronavirus. The first ODI in Florida was cancelled already; the remaining matches have also been called off now.
Shaw to lead Mumbai for the first time in First-class cricket
Prithvi Shaw, who had led Mumbai to win the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020/21, will lead for the first time in First-class cricket in the upcoming Ranji Trophy. Shaw was India’s captain when they last won the Under-19 World Cup, in 2018.
Arjun Tendulkar was also included in the Mumbai squad. Tendulkar made his senior debut last season, for Mumbai against Haryana in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He returned 3-0-34-1. He was also picked by Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakhs earlier this year’s IPL auction.
Mumbai, 41-time Ranji Trophy champions, are in Elite Group C. They will take on Maharashtra on 13 January to begin the campaign.
Mumbai squad: Prithvi Shaw (c), Aditya Tare (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Aakarshit Gomel, Armaan Jaffer, Sarfaraz Khan, Sachin Yadav, Shivam Dube, Aman Khan, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Prashant Solanki, Shashank Attarde, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mohit Avasthi, Prince Badiani, Siddharth Raut, Royston Dias, Arjun Tendulkar.