Year: 2025

New Delhi: As the world ushers in 2025, athletes across the globe reflect on the events of 2024. Pakistan cricket star Babar Azam joined in the celebrations, sharing a heartfelt New Year message with his fans. He wrote, “Welcoming 2025 with Open Arms and a Grateful Heart – Happy New Year Everyone.” Azam’s 2024 cricket season was a blend of highs and lows.

Star batters Babar Azam and Virat Kohli were left out of the nominations for the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024. Instead, the list highlights exceptional players from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and the West Indies, each of whom had a significant impact in the 50-over format this year.

Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga was one of the most dominant bowlers in white-ball cricket in 2024. The leg-spinner’s performances, including a career-best 7/19 against Zimbabwe, cemented his place as one of the standout bowlers of the year. His consistent ability to pick wickets against teams like Afghanistan, West Indies, and India enhanced his stature as a key figure for Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai impressed with both bat and ball. He kicked off the year with a stunning 149* against Sri Lanka and continued to contribute significantly in victories over South Africa and Bangladesh. His all-round performances played a crucial part in Afghanistan’s historic ODI series triumph over South Africa.

Kusal Mendis, the former Sri Lankan captain, had a remarkable 2024, averaging over 50 in ODIs. Mendis scored a career-high 143 against India and was excellent behind the stumps, completing 19 dismissals. His all-around contributions were instrumental in Sri Lanka’s success in the 50-over format throughout the year.

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New Delhi: Before the concluding Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between India and Australia in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese interacted with both teams and shared two photos on social media on January 1, 2025.

In his post, he expressed that both teams had already provided the Australian public with an unforgettable cricketing summer.

He wrote on X, “The Australian and Indian teams have already given us an incredible summer of cricket.”

He also added in a different post, “When the fifth test starts on Friday, the SCG will be a sea of pink in support of the great work of the McGrath Foundation. Go Australia!”

PM Anthony Albanese and his fiancee Jodie Haydon had hosted a New Year’s reception at Kirribilli House on Wednesday.

As per a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, Albanese also shared some remarks about India’s leading fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, who has claimed 30 wickets across four matches in the ongoing series.

“We could pass a law here that says he has to bowl left-handed or off one step. Every time he has come onto bowl has been very exciting,” NDTV quoted Albanese as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald in the 90-minute function.

India vs Australia BGT 2024-25:
The Indian cricket team, captained by Rohit Sharma, will take on the Australian team, led by Pat Cummins, in the fifth and final Test at the renowned Sydney Cricket Ground starting from January 3, 2025. This match will determine whether India secures a spot in the World Test Championship final, with a victory being essential for qualification. Australia currently leads the series 2-1, following a draw in the Brisbane match.

While there are various scenarios in which India can make it to the WTC 2025 final, the race for the last spot is intense, with India, Australia, and Sri Lanka competing for the top position, now that South Africa has been knocked out.

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New Delhi: Virat Kohli begins his 2025 in a distinctive manner, as the Indian cricket icon is seen posing with the siblings of Sam Konstas, the same player with whom he had a few intense exchanges during the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia.

Kohli had an aggressive moment when he bumped into Konstas with his shoulder, leading to a brief verbal exchange. However, the 19-year-old Konstas displayed remarkable composure when reflecting on the incident, stating that ‘these types of things happen in cricket’.

Virat Kohli fell victim once again to the elusive fifth stump ball, continuing his ongoing struggle with deliveries outside the off-stump, while Sam Konstas delivered one of the most remarkable debuts in cricket history, hitting Jasprit Bumrah, a modern great, for a couple of boundaries.

The beginning of 2025 has seen players from both India and Australia share light-hearted moments, as they rang in the New Year together following an invitation from the Australian Prime Minister.

The viral post:

In addition to this, Virat Kohli also met other Australian cricketers during the Indian team’s visit to the Australian Prime Minister on New Year’s Day. Both India and Australia celebrated the occasion just days before their final Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Jasprit Bumrah also interacted with the Konstas brothers, as the start of 2025 highlighted cricketers’ ability to put aside on-field tensions and enjoy lighter moments during special occasions.

India and Australia will aim to kick off 2025 on a strong note, much like they did in 2024, as the race for a spot in the WTC Final 2025 continues to be highly competitive between the two teams.

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New Delhi: KL Rahul, the Indian cricketer, gave fans a sneak peek into his chic New Year festivities with wife Athiya Shetty, just ahead of the crucial fifth Test against Australia, set to begin on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Rahul posted pictures of the couple celebrating the occasion beneath the sparkling fireworks at the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This break allowed players from both teams to unwind and spend quality time with their families between the Melbourne and Sydney Tests.

With India gearing up for the pivotal SCG Test, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A victory is crucial for India to maintain their chances of securing a spot in the World Test Championship Final against South Africa. KL Rahul, who has shown solid form with the bat during this Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, is a vital player in India’s lineup, particularly given the challenges faced by the top-order batsmen throughout the series.

KL Rahul has accumulated 259 runs in 4 matches during this Test series against Australia, averaging 37.00, making him one of the more reliable performers in India’s top order. The 32-year-old was promoted to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in place of captain Rohit Sharma for the first three Tests, though Rohit returned to the opening role in the Melbourne Test.

On the eve of the New Year’s Test, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted both the India and Australia teams on January 1. The Sydney Test is also significant for the observance of ‘Jane McGrath Day’ on Day 3, an initiative aimed at raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research.

Australia currently leads the series 2-1, having gained a strong advantage with a commanding 184-run victory in Melbourne’s fourth Test. The Pat Cummins-led squad has outperformed India in crucial moments, leaving captain Rohit Sharma and his team with immense pressure as they head into Sydney.

A loss or draw at the SCG would see India lose the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which they have held since 2017. With so much on the line, the SCG Test is set to be a fierce contest as India fights to stay competitive in the series and preserve their supremacy in this historic rivalry.

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