Rishabh Pant has returned to India’s Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, the BCCI announced on Wednesday. Pant, who was injured during the England tour, recently made a successful comeback in the India A vs South Africa A series, where he led the team to victory. He will serve as vice-captain under skipper Shubman Gill, with Dhruv Jurel as the second wicketkeeper. Axar Patel also returns to the squad, while Prasidh Krishna misses out. India’s squad includes Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj. The two-Test series will mark Pant’s first major comeback after his long injury break. (PC: India Today)

Coach Amol Muzumdar was greeted by an exuberant crowd in his Ville Parle, Mumbai neighbourhood after India women's cricket team clinched their maiden ODI World Cup title by defeating South Africa women's cricket team by 52 runs in the final. Neighbours formed a guard of honour, with applause and cheers underscoring the magnitude of the moment. Muzumdar, formerly one of India’s most prolific domestic batsmen who never played for the national men’s side, called the win a “watershed moment” for Indian women’s cricket.

The Indian women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, received a grand welcome in Delhi on Tuesday after winning the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup. The team defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final in Navi Mumbai, claiming their first-ever World Cup title. Players Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, and Sneh Rana danced to dhol beats as fans and staff celebrated their arrival. Security was tightened in the capital ahead of their meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The victory marks a historic milestone for Indian women’s cricket and a proud moment for the nation. (PC: @DelhiAirport/X)

The ICC has punished players from India and Pakistan over incidents during the Asia Cup 2025. Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been fined 30% of his match fee and suspended for two ODIs for making provocative gestures during matches against India. He also received four demerit points within 24 months. India captain Suryakumar Yadav was fined 30% of his match fee for his “Pahalgam tribute” comment, which the ICC said brought the game into disrepute. Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan received a warning for his “gunshot” celebration. The punishments followed hearings by ICC match referee Richie Richardson. (PC: AFP)

Football legend David Beckham was formally knighted as Knight Bachelor by King Charles III during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. The honor recognizes his services to football and British society. Beckham attended the prestigious ceremony accompanied by his wife, now Lady Victoria Beckham. The former England captain received the accolade from the monarch in a traditional Windsor Castle ceremony, marking one of Britain's highest civilian honors. Photographs captured the historic moment as King Charles bestowed the knighthood upon the football icon, with Lady Victoria present to witness her husband's achievement. Sir David Beckham joins an elite group of sports personalities honored with knighthood for exceptional contributions.

Former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy called for Harmanpreet Kaur to relinquish captaincy to Smriti Mandhana, stating the change is "overdue" despite India's recent ODI World Cup victory. Rangaswamy believes Harmanpreet, brilliant as batter and fielder, fumbles tactically and would contribute more without captaincy burden, with three-four playing years remaining. She advocates Smriti leading across formats for future World Cup planning, citing Rohit Sharma's post-Champions Trophy transition as precedent. Rangaswamy praised India's settled batting but highlighted bowling and fielding vulnerabilities. She noted Australia lost semifinals despite posting 338 because their bowling attack was weaker than Pakistan and Bangladesh, with India's batters ultimately delivering the championship. (PC: BCCI Women)

The ICC announced disciplinary verdicts from heated India-Pakistan Asia Cup matches, suspending Pakistan's Haris Rauf for two games while fining India's Suryakumar Yadav thirty percent match fees plus two demerit points. Both violated Article 2.21 for conduct bringing the game into disrepute. Rauf faced sanctions for his "6-0" hand signal and airplane descent gesture toward Indian fans. Suryakumar was penalized for refusing post-match handshakes. Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan received an official warning for his gun celebration after scoring fifty. Jasprit Bumrah accepted one demerit point for his fighter-jet gesture responding to Rauf. Arshdeep Singh was cleared of obscene gesture charges following the Super 4 clash. (PC: RCB & India Today)

After India’s women’s team lifted the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 trophy, Jemimah Rodrigues reminded Sunil Gavaskar of his promise to sing a duet with her. Gavaskar had said after Jemimah’s 127* in the semi-final, “If India wins the World Cup, we’ll sing a song together — she with her guitar, and I’ll sing along.” Following the win, Jemimah posted a video saying, “Hi Sunil Gavaskar sir, I saw your message. I’m ready with my guitar and hope you’re ready with your mic.” The two had earlier performed together at the BCCI Awards and now plan to reunite on stage. 

The Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), a T20 cricket event in Jammu and Kashmir, has collapsed after organisers allegedly fled Srinagar without paying players or staff. The league featured big names like Chris Gayle, Jesse Ryder, and Thisara Perera, and was promoted as a boost for sports tourism. Around 40 players, umpires, and hotel staff were left stranded and unpaid. Reports said the organisers disappeared overnight, forcing some foreign players to seek help through diplomatic channels. Only 12 matches were played before the event shut down. Fans who bought tickets also complained of no refunds. (PC: HT)

South African actress and writer Thanja Vuur praised India’s passion for cricket after the women’s team won their first-ever ICC World Cup. In a viral video, she said, “India, you deserve this win. You live and breathe this sport.” Vuur also criticised South African players and officials for skipping the final, asking, “Who the hell showed up from South Africa?” She praised Indian legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma for supporting the women’s team. India’s 52-run win over South Africa at DY Patil Stadium marked a historic moment for women’s cricket and sparked nationwide celebration.