Franchise Cricket

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India all-rounder Axar Patel has been named as Rishabh Pant's successor as Delhi Capitals captain for the forthcoming Indian Premier League.

Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history when he was signed by Lucknow Super Giants at last year's auction for 27 crore (£2.54m) having been with the Capitals since 2016.

Axar, 31, is the Capitals' current longest-serving player, having joined in 2019.

He has scored 967 runs and picked up 62 wickets at an economy rate of 7.09 in 82 appearances for the franchise.

"It is my absolute honour to captain the Delhi Capitals, and I'm deeply grateful to our owners and support staff for placing their faith in me," Axar said in a statement.

"I've grown as a cricketer and a human being during my time here at the Capitals, and I feel ready and confident to lead this side going forward."

Axar has played 14 Tests, 68 one-day internationals and 71 T20s for India and was named their T20 vice-captain in January.

He played a key role in India's Champions Trophy win earlier this month with his left-arm spin, taking five wickets at a rate of 4.35 and making key contributions batting at number five.

The Capitals begin their IPL campaign in Visakhapatnam on 24 March against Lucknow, who are now skippered by Pant.

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England's Nat Sciver-Brunt and West Indies' Hayley Matthews led Mumbai Indians to a 47-run win over Gujarat Giants to reach the final of the Women's Premier League.

Mumbai will face table-toppers Delhi Capitals in a repeat of the inaugural final on Saturday (14:00 GMT).

They posted 213-4 - the joint third-highest score in the tournament's history - with Sciver-Brunt and Matthews both making 77.

The pair shared 133 off 71 balls for the second wicket and hit 20 fours and five sixes between them.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also smashed 36 off just 12 balls as Mumbai made their record total.

Faced with a tournament-record chase, the Giants slipped to 43-3 in the powerplay and were unable to recover despite England all-rounder Dani Gibson making 34 off 24 balls at the top of the order.

Off-spinner Matthews claimed 3-31 from 3.2 overs while Sciver-Brunt also took 1-32.

Mumbai, who are coached by former England captain Charlotte Edwards, will be looking to win their second title in Saturday's final.

Victory for the Capitals would be their first success after finishing as runners-up in the first two years.

Image source, BCCI/WPL

After 20 group games, the Women's Premier League reaches the play-offs on Thursday.

Delhi Capitals have secured their place in a third successive final and will find out their opponents after the Eliminator.

Here's the schedule, including dates, times and venues for the WPL play-offs.

Eliminator

Thursday, 13 March: Mumbai Indians v Gujarat Giants (14:00 GMT), Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Final

Saturday, 15 March: Delhi Capitals v winner of Eliminator (14:00 GMT), Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Mumbai won the inaugural competition in 2023 and were knocked out in the Eliminator last year.

Gujarat are in the play-offs for the first time.

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Delhi Capitals reached their third successive Women's Premier League final after Mumbai Indians' 11-run defeat by Royal Challengers Bengaluru confirmed their place at the top of the table at the end of the group stage.

Mumbai would have progressed straight into Saturday's final with a win, but squandered their chance and will instead face Gujarat Giants in the eliminator on Thursday to decide the second finalist.

RCB had posted a challenging 199-3 from their 20 overs after captain Smriti Mandhana's half-century.

Mandhana hammered three sixes and six fours in her 53 off 37 balls while Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry made an unbeaten 49 off 38, and compatriot Georgia Wareham blitzed 31 off 10 at the end of the innings.

Hayley Matthews finished with 2-37 for Mumbai, who were set the third-highest chase in WPL history.

Openers Matthews and Amelia Kerr fell cheaply, but England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt kept Mumbai's hopes alive until she was caught and bowled by Perry for 69 from 35 balls.

Spinner Sneh Rana starred with 3-26 for RCB, and two sixes in the final over from Sajeevan Sajana gave Mumbai an unexpected winning opportunity to leave 12 needed from three balls, but bowler Perry held her nerve to close out the victory.

It was a consolation victory for RCB, who end the group stage in fourth place despite winning the title in 2024.

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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.

Image source, BBC Sport

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.