Franchise Cricket

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Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Giants by nine runs to put themselves in prime position to finish top of the Women's Premier League table, and advance straight into the final.

Giants slipped to 92-6 in pursuit of 180 to win, but an astonishing 61 from 25 balls from Bharti Fulmali and Simran Shaikh's 18 helped take the game to the final over with 13 runs required.

But West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews closed out the victory for Mumbai with the wicket of Shaikh, and the Giants were restricted to 170-9.

Matthews finished with 2-38 in the innings while New Zealand leg-spinner Amelia Kerr took 3-43 and former South Africa seamer Shabnim Ismail took 2-17.

Mumbai's 179-6 was earlier set up by India captain Harmanpreet Kaur's 54, while England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt made 38 to become the tournament's leading run-scorer so far with 347 runs in seven innings.

Giants, Mumbai and Delhi Capitals are already confirmed as the three qualifiers, but Mumbai will confirm their place in the final if they win their final group match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday.

If they lose, Mumbai and Delhi would both finish on 10 points and the top spot will be decided by net run-rate.

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Commentaries on the 2025 Indian Premier League will be available across BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app from Saturday, 22 March.

More than 35 matches will be covered, including the final on 25 May.

The 2025 tournament is the 18th edition of the world's biggest T20 franchise competition and sees 74 matches played across eight weeks.

Kolkata Knight Riders are the defending champions after they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2024 final.

There will be extensive coverage across the BBC Sport website and app with daily reports on the Franchise Cricket page, alongside the latest news and all the best stats from the tournament.

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Australia's Georgia Voll made 99 not as out as UP Warriorz crashed a Women's Premier League record 225-5 to eliminate defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The Warriorz, who were already eliminated, overtook Delhi Capitals' total of 223-2 against RCB in 2023.

Voll's 99 is the joint-highest score in the tournament, alongside Sophie Devine's effort, and the 21-year-old hit 17 fours and one six in her 56-ball innings.

The right-hander, who only came into the tournament as a replacement player, needed two from the final ball of the innings to reach the first century but could only manage a single.

She was supported by Kiran Navgire (46 off 16) and compatriot Grace Harris (39 off 22).

RCB, who needed to win to stay in contention for the knockouts, slipped to 107-5 after 11 overs.

India wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh gave them hope with 69 off 33 balls but when she was dismissed they were 171-6.

They were bowled out for 213 in the final over to lose by 12 runs and they drop to the bottom of the table.

The defeat for RCB means Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians are now guaranteed to join Delhi Capitals in the knockouts, but top spot and automatic qualification for the final is still to be decided.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Mumbai Indians have signed South Africa all-rounder Corbin Bosch as a replacement for his injured countryman Lizaad Williams for this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).

Bosch had agreed a deal to play for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League but with the tournaments overlapping, he will have to sacrifice that contract to feature in the IPL for the first time.

The 30-year-old made both his one-day international and Test debuts for South Africa in December, scoring an unbeaten 81 and taking five wickets at 23.4 in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

He is also familiar with the MI set-up after winning the SA20 with MI Cape Town in February, taking 11 wickets across eight matches in the competition.

The Proteas called Bosch into their squad for the Champions Trophy as an injury replacement but he did not play during the tournament.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Williams is the second Mumbai player ruled out of IPL 2025 with Afghanistan spinner AM Ghazanfar missing because of a back injury.

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Three games remain in the Women's Premier League group stage and there's plenty to play for.

Here's who needs what to progress to the knockouts...

Remaining fixtures (all matches 14:00 GMT): UP Warriorz v Royal Challengers Bengaluru (8 March), Mumbai Indians v Gujarat Giants (10 March) & Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bengaluru (11 March).

Delhi Capitals are guaranteed a place in the knockouts, but defeat in their final group game means they have not secured top spot and an automatic place in the final on 15 March.

Mumbai Indians, who are currently third, are best placed and wins in their final two games will secure top spot and a final spot.

They still could still finish top even if Gujarat Giants beat them on Monday, with net run-rate then deciding which of the three teams qualifies top (because they would all have five wins, which is the first criteria used).

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru need to win both of their remaining games and have a net run-rate swing.

UP Warriorz are eliminated after five defeats in their opening seven games.

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India's Harleen Deol hit an unbeaten 70 as she guided Gujarat Giants to a five-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League.

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning's 92 had provided the bulk of the Capitals' 177-5 as she plundered 15 fours and one six.

Lanning and Shafali Verma, who hit three sixes in a breezy 40, had shared a stand of 83 for the first wicket in nine overs in Lucknow.

However, the remainder of the Capitals top order could not get going as Meghna Singh claimed 3-35 and Deandra Dottin 2-37.

Australia's Beth Mooney got the Giants' reply off to a solid start as she Deol put on 85 for the second wicket before the former was snared for 44 by Minnu Mani's off-spin.

Deol kept her composure during the chase, though, as Giants skipper Ash Gardner and Dottin chipped in with 22 and 24 respectively before they were dismissed by Jess Jonassen (2-38).

The Giants still needed 13 off the last seven balls but any nerves where eased when Kashvee Gautam clubbed the final delivery of the penultimate over from Shikha Pandey for six.

Deol then whipped the first ball of the final over - bowled by Jonassen - for four before Gautam got the Giants over the line with three balls to spare.

Table-topping Delhi have now completed all their games and face a nervous wait to see if they will qualify for the final automatically, with third-placed Mumbai Indians able to overhaul their total of 10 points with victory in their final two matches.

Gujarat could also finish top if they beat Mumbai in their final match and finish with a superior net run-rate.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Legendary former England fast bowler James Anderson says he is "hungry" for a chance to play in The Hundred after entering the draft for the first time.

Anderson, 42, retired from Test cricket last year and will play county cricket for Lancashire in the coming season.

England's all-time leading wicket-taker previously skipped the tournament to focus on red-ball commitments, but will be among the names in the draft on 12 March.

Anderson said he intends to play for Lancashire in the T20 Blast this summer but "doesn't care" which franchise in The Hundred as he "just wants to play cricket".

"I have watched The Hundred closely. I've commentated on it, talked to people who have played in it, and I would love to experience it," Anderson said on the Tailenders podcast.

"If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I know it's not guaranteed I'll get picked up [and] I'm realistic in the fact that it's been a while since I've played white-ball cricket.

"I'll keep my fingers crossed someone out there needs a bowler. I feel really hungry for it. I went to Old Trafford for a bowl and I went to bed that night thinking about bowling the next day. I am just buzzing to play cricket."

Anderson entered the auction for this year's Indian Premier League, but went unsold.

He has not played white-ball cricket of any kind since a One-Day Cup semi-final for Lancashire in 2019.

Anderson's last T20 match was in a losing effort for the Red Rose in the 2014 final of the Blast against Warwickshire.

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Leg-spinner Amelia Kerr took 5-38 as Mumbai Indians claimed a comfortable six-wicket win over UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League.

The New Zealand all-rounder tore through top and middle order as the Warriorz were restricted to 150-9.

Opener Georgia Voll top-scored with 55 from 33 balls but once the Australian was dismissed in the 11th over, the Warriorz limped through the remainder of their overs.

Mumbai were in control throughout the chase with West Indies' Hayley Matthews making 68 from 46 balls at the top of the order.

She put on 92 for the second wicket with England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who hit 37 from 23 to go with her 1-16 with the ball.

Matthews' fell with 24 runs needed before Mumbai got over the line with nine balls to spare.

Victory lifts them up to second in the WPL table and victory in either of their last two group games will seal their place in the knockout stages.

Meanwhile, Warriorz stay fifth after a third straight loss and need to win their final group match to have any chance of progressing.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Beth Mooney hit an unbeaten 96 from 59 balls as Gujarat Giants claimed a crushing 81-run win over UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League.

The Australia left-hander batted throughout the Gujarat innings, hitting a remarkable 17 boundaries, as they posted 186-5 in Lucknow.

Mooney shared a stand of 101 with India's Harleen Deol (45 off 32) for the second wicket, while Deandra Dottin's brief cameo of 17 off eight balls boosted the total late in the innings.

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers for UP Warriorz, taking 2-34, but despite her efforts, the home side faced a challenging chase.

Dottin took two wickets in the first over of the reply, though, to leave the Warriorz 2-2 and they never recovered.

It was 25-4 by the end of the fourth over and when Grace Harris, the only batter in the top six to reach double figures, fell for 25 in the 10th, whatever lingering hopes of a dramatic comeback remained were dashed.

The Warriorz were eventually bowled out for 105 in the 18th over as seamer Kashvee Gautam and left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar took three wickets apiece.

Gujarat move up to second after their second win on the bounce, ahead of Mumbai Indians in third on net run-rate, while the Warriorz drop to fifth.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Experienced former India batter Ajinkya Rahane has been named Kolkata Knight Riders captain for this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).

Rahane, 36, is back for a second stint with KKR after he was taken for his base price of £135k at the auction following two years with Chennai Super Kings.

He replaces Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to their third IPL title in 2024 but was not retained by the franchise and has since joined Punjab Kings.

All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who Kolkata re-signed for £2.15m at the auction, has been named vice-captain.

"We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader," said KKR chief executive Venky Mysore.

"Also, Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for KKR and brings a lot of leadership qualities. We are confident that they will combine well as we start the defence of our title."

Kolkata will play Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL season opener at Eden Gardens on 22 March.

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The Women's Premier League takes a break on Sunday as the five teams travel from Bengaluru to Lucknow for the next phase of group matches.

The opening six games were in Vadodara, followed by eight in Bengaluru before matches in Lucknow and Mumbai to conclude the 20-match group stage.

Delhi Capitals are the only team to have qualified for the play-offs as things stand.

Here's who has starred with bat and ball so far...

Top run-scorers in WPL 2025

1. Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) - 295 runs

2. Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) - 272

3. Shafali Verma (Delhi Capitals) - 260

4. Ash Gardner (Gujarat Giants) - 202

5. Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals) - 171

Top wicket-takers in WPL 2025

1. Renuka Singh Thakur (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) - 10

=2. Jess Jonassen (Delhi Capitals), Shikha Pandey (Delhi Capitals) & Georgia Wareham (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) - 9

5. Annabel Sutherland (Delhi Capitals) - 8

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Delhi Capitals beat defending Women's Premier League champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine wickets to book their place in the play-offs.

Australia's Jess Jonassen and India's Shafali Verma added an unbroken stand of 146 for the second wicket as Delhi reached their target of 148 inside 15.3 overs.

Verma finished with 80 from 43 balls and Jonassen made 61 from 38, as former Australia skipper Meg Lanning was the only batter to depart for five.

All-rounder Ellyse Perry's 60 not out from 47 balls - her fourth half-century of the tournament so far - was in vain for RCB as she struggled for support from the rest of the line-up.

Delhi reached the final in the previous two editions of the competition, but lost both.

Whoever finishes top of the table by the end of the group stage will progress straight into the final on 15 March while second and third place will play in the Eliminator two days before.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Meg Lanning's unbeaten half-century led Delhi Capitals to a convincing nine-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League.

Former Australia captain Lanning finished unbeaten on 60 from 49 balls as Delhi cruised to their target of 124 in 14.3 overs.

She had added 85 for the first wicket with India's Shafali Verma, who was the only wicket to fall for 43 from 28 balls, to set up the victory which takes Delhi to the top of the WPL table with four wins from six matches.

Mumbai remain in second place with three wins from five.

There was a rare failure for England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who fell for 18 as Mumbai stuttered to 123-9 from 20 overs.

Spinners Jess Jonassen and Minnu Mani starred with the ball for Delhi, taking three wickets each.

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Defending champions Islamabad United will face two-time winners Lahore Qalandars in the opening game of the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The 10th edition of the T20 tournament will run between 11 April and 18 May - meaning it will overlap with the Indian Premier League which runs from 22 March to 25 May.

The PSL has moved to a later time slot this year because of the Champions Trophy taking place in Pakistan.

The group stage, which includes three double-headers, will run until 10 May before four knockout matches.

Lahore will host 13 matches, including the final, with venues in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Multan also being used.

New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Australia's David Warner are set to play for Karachi Kings, while James Vince, Chris Jordan and David Willey are among the England player set to feature.

The 2025 tournament is the final PSL featuring six teams, with two more set to be added from 2026.

• Full Pakistan Super League schedule, external

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Ash Gardner's blistering half-century helped Gujarat Giants to a comfortable six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women's Premier League.

The match had been well poised with the Giants 66-3 in the 10th over in pursuit of RCB's total of 125-7.

However, Giants skipper Gardner seized the initiative alongside Australia team-mate Phoebe Litchfield to help her side chase down the total with 21 balls to spare.

All-rounder Gardner whacked 58 off 31 balls in an innings which featured six fours and three sixes before she was caught and bowled by compatriot Georgia Wareham.

Litchfield saw the Giants home with an unbeaten 30 off 21 ball despite the best effort of Wareham (2-26) and Renuka Singh (2-24) with the ball.

Earlier, RCB's top-order had failed to fire after Smriti Mandhana, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Ellyse Perry - dismissed by Gardner - all departed cheaply.

Kanika Ahuja top scored for RCB with 33 off 28 balls while Wareham finished unbeaten on 20 as Tanuja Kanwar finished the pick of the Giants' bowlers with 2-16.

The Giants now have four points - the same number as RCB - but remain bottom of the table after five matches on net run rate.

Mumbai Indians top the standings with six points having played a game fewer.

• WPL fixtures & table

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Wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith will play for London Spirit in the 2025 edition of The Hundred after a mini draft for the last two centrally contracted England men's places.

Smith, who played two seasons in the tournament for Birmingham Phoenix, will be captained at Spirit by New Zealander Kane Williamson who was directly signed by the Lord's-based franchise earlier this month.

The 24-year-old Surrey player made his Test debut last summer and has since appeared in both one-day internationals and T20s for England.

Meanwhile, experienced England and Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes has moved to Welsh Fire.

Woakes, 35, missed last year's edition of The Hundred after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) opted to manage his workload.

He played three matches for Phoenix in the 2023 edition of the tournament.

The remaining players with ECB red-ball and white-ball central contract points, and not retained by their franchises, are now eligible to move into The Hundred draft.

England's Test players are expected to be available for the majority of The Hundred following the conclusion of their series against India.

• Full Hundred 2025 squads

Esha Nayar
BBC Sport

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When is a cricketer too young to compete against adults in franchise competitions?

The rise of teenage stars in leagues around the world continued this month with Mumbai Indians' G Kamalini making her debut in this year's Women's Premier League aged just 16.

The teenager has batted twice in three games - remaining not out on both occasions and steering her side to victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore.

It has restarted the debate around young players in professional sport and Western Region Junior Cricket Association vice president Vanessa Pereira featured on this week's Stumped Podcast to discuss the pressure young cricketers are starting to face as more opportunities spring up.

"It's a dilemma for us," she said. "These immature young people are now in an adult world with a variety of issues going on around them, some of which they understand, a lot of which they don't."

The conversation follows 15-year-old Caoimhe Bray's WBBL debut with the Sydney Sixers in October, making her the youngest player in the league's history.

"If these young players have proper support and management, they should be ok, but the fear is that they could get chewed up and spat out," added Pereira.

"Their parents are pushing as well and they don't want to disappoint their mum and dad, so it's a lot for the children to deal with. It's an ongoing challenge."