Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Once pretended to be a boy to play cricket; India’s Shafali Verma is now world No.1

As a young girl, Shafali Verma pretended to be a boy just so she could play cricket.

Now, the 16-year-old rose to the top spot in the ICC women's T20 International rankings, thanks to her performance at the ongoing World Cup in Australia.


She took over New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who had been the top batter since October 2018.

India will take on England on Thursday (5) in the first semi-finals of women's T20 world cup.

Verma's explosive batting at the top of the order saw her score 161 runs in four innings, including knocks of 47 and 46 against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

It helped her become only the second India batter after Mithali Raj to top the women's T20I batting rankings, according to an ICC statement.

Shafali Verma was born on January 28, 2004, in Haryana, India. She made her WT20I debut for India, against South Africa, on 24 September 2019.

In T20Is she has scored 485 runs from 18 matches with an average of 28.52. Her highest score in this format is 73.

Verma was the youngest woman to play for India in a T20I match, and in November 2019 against the West Indies, became the youngest woman for India to score a half-century in international cricket.

In January 2020, she was named in India’s squad for the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia and was awarded a central contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Among the Indian bowlers, Poonam Yadav is up four places to eighth after a good run in World Cup.

India's Deepti Sharma has advanced nine places to seventh, the first time that she is among the top 10 in the all-rounders' list after also moving up to 53rd among batters.

Australia remain at the top of the T20I team rankings with 290 points and England in second position with 278.

More For You

Playboi Carti finally releases long-awaited album ‘I Am Music’

Fans have eagerly awaited new music, especially after months of teasers, singles, and live performances

Getty images

Playboi Carti finally releases long-awaited album ‘I Am Music’

The wait is over. Playboi Carti, born Jordan Terrell Carter, officially dropped his third studio album, I Am Music, on Friday, March 14. The long-anticipated project arrived a few hours later than expected, but the excitement from fans has remained high. Released through AWGE and Interscope Records, the album’s launch follows months of teasing and a five-year gap since his last full-length release, Whole Lotta Red.

The album rollout was aided by Spotify, which promoted I Am Music with billboards in major cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami, featuring slogans such as “STREETS READY,” “SORRY4 DA WAIT,” and “I AM MUSIC MF.” The promotional campaign had fans eagerly awaiting the release, building on Carti’s enigmatic public persona and unpredictable style.

Keep ReadingShow less
Radhika Apte on breaking boundaries with ‘Sister Midnight': ‘To grow, you must take risks’

Radhika Apte

Radhika Apte on breaking boundaries with ‘Sister Midnight': ‘To grow, you must take risks’

ONE constant throughout Radhika Apte’s career is her refusal to stay in her comfort zone. This desire to explore uncharted territories is perfectly illustrated by her new feature film Sister Midnight, now in cinemas.

She plays a newly married woman living in the Indian slums, with no domestic skills, who feels restless and suddenly discovers a bloodsucking passion that leads her down a dark and dangerous path.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manchester student auctions virginity for £1.7 million, Hollywood star wins bid

Despite the mixed reactions, Laura remains confident in her choice

Instagram/ dailymirror

Manchester student auctions virginity for £1.7 million, Hollywood star wins bid

A 22-year-old student from Manchester, Laura, has sparked widespread controversy after selling her virginity for Rs 18 crore (around £1.7 million) through an online auction. The auction, organised via a well-known escort agency’s website, attracted interest from several high-profile figures, including politicians, business moguls, and celebrities. The winning bid came from a Hollywood star, who remains anonymous, propelling Laura’s decision into the public eye.

Laura, who comes from a religious background, explained that she has no regrets about her decision, describing it as a strategic move to secure her financial future. “I don’t regret it. Many girls lose their virginity for nothing. At least I gained financial security,” she said. For her, the auction was a business transaction that allowed her to capitalise on what she considered a valuable asset. She emphasised that many women do not benefit financially or emotionally from losing their virginity, while she saw an opportunity to gain independence.

Keep ReadingShow less
Black Mirror's first trailer for the new season teases more tech horrors

Cristin Milioti

Getty images

Black Mirror's first trailer for the new season teases more tech horrors

Black Mirror fans have much to look forward to as Netflix drops the first trailer for the latest season of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology. The new season, set to premiere on 10 April, promises six new episodes filled with chilling stories that explore the dark side of technology. The trailer maintains the show’s familiar ominous tone, hinting at yet more disquieting narratives in a world where technology continues to go wrong.

An all-star cast

This new chapter brings a stellar cast to the Black Mirror universe, with familiar faces from the world of film and television making their debuts. Peter Capaldi, Issa Rae, Paul Giamatti, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Emma Corrin are just a few of the big names lined up for the new season. The trailer also confirms the return of some past stars, with Cristin Milioti reprising her role as Nanette Cole from the fan-favourite “USS Callister” episode.

Keep ReadingShow less