Charlotte Edwards appointed head coach of England’s women’s team
London, April 1: Former England captain Charlotte Edwards was appointed head coach of the country’s women’s national cricket team on Tuesday. Edwards played for England on more than 300 occasions during a 20-year career, winning the World Cup in both white-ball formats as well as five Ashes series against Australia. She was the captain for 10 years. England was looking for a new coach after Jon Lewis left his post on March 21 following poor results at the T20 World Cup and in the Ashes series. Lewis had been in the job since 2022 and oversaw a drawn Ashes series at home in 2023, but England was eliminated in the group stage of last year’s T20 World Cup and lost the multi-format Ashes series to Australia 16-0 in January. Edwards comes in ahead of home series against India and West Indies and the 50-over World Cup in India this year, followed by a home T20 World Cup in 2026. (PTI)
Kuhnemann gets a CA upgrade after his bowling action is cleared
Melbourne, April 1: Matt Kuhnemann’s rollercoaster ride of taking 16 wickets in the Sri Lanka Test series before being reported for a suspect bowling action has taken another turn after he was included Tuesday on Cricket Australia’s top list of contracted players for 2025-26. Kuhnemann was voted player of the series as Australia swept both matches in Sri Lanka in February. The left-arm spinner has played five Test matches and taken 25 wickets, including two five-wicket innings. He was forced to undergo testing for a suspect bowling action following the Sri Lanka tour, and was was cleared following an ICC investigation. Kuhnemann “was outstanding once again in Sri Lanka and we believe he can play a key role across the next 18 months,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said in a statement unveiling the contract list. Teenager Sam Konstas was also rewarded with his first Cricket Australia top-tier contract following his Boxing Day test debut against India. The 19-year-old Konstas brazenly scored 60 runs off 65 balls to set up Australia’s victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground en route to a 3-1 series win. (AP)
South Africa’s white-ball coach resigns due to personal reasons
Johannesburg, April 1: South Africa’s white-ball head coach Rob Walter will step down from his role at the end of the month due to personal reasons. Walter has attributed his resignation to personal reasons, which Cricket South Africa has accepted. Walter, who held the position since March 2023, has played an instrumental role in South Africa’s recent successes on the global stage. Under his leadership, the Proteas made history by reaching their first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in 2024, where they finished as runners up to India in Barbados. A record run of eight consecutive wins underpinned the campaign. His tenure also saw the 50-over side reach the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. In his time at the helm, Walter oversaw the national side in 36 One-Day Internationals and 31 T20 Internationals, with series wins against Netherlands, Australia, Ireland and Pakistan. His final assignment was the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he led the Proteas to another semi-final appearance, this time against New Zealand in Lahore in March. (PTI)
Arjun Maini to race for Ford powered squad in new DTM season
Meuspath (Germany), April 1: India’s Arjun Maini will drive for the HRT Ford Performance team in his fifth year in the German touring car racing series. Last year, Maini had secured his best result of his DTM career by finishing seventh in the drivers’ standings. In the previous three seasons (from 2021 to 2023), the 27-year-old from Bengaluru had finished 12th, 19th and 20th respectively). The official test day for the new DTM season will take place at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben on Wednesday. Haupt Racing Team (HRT) enters two Ford Mustang GT3s in the top-class sprint series for the first time this year. The cockpits for Ford’s factory- supported DTM comeback after 36 years will be occupied by Maini and Fabio Scherer. The opening race weekend is scheduled from April 25-27. Maini has been competing successfully for HRT in various racing series since 2022 and achieved three podium finishes and one pole position in the DTM with the team last season. The Indian has made a total of 64 appearances in the prestigious sprint series to date. (PTI)
UTT adds Kolkata franchise after exit of Puneri Paltan
New Delhi, April 1: Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) have added new franchise Kolkata ThunderBlades for the upcoming season starting next month while the owners of Puneri Paltan have exited the league. Bengaluru Smashers, owned by the Punit Balan Group, have renamed themselves as Pune Jaguars following the exit of Puneri Paltan. The tournament will continue to have eight teams with the addition of the Kolkata franchise and exit of Puneri Paltan. There will be no team representing Bengaluru this season The latest season will be held in Ahmedabad from May 29 to June 15. The Kolkata franchise is co-owned by Uneecops Group and MVikas Group. Former player Anshul Garg will serve as the Team Director of the new franchise. UTT co-promoters Vita Dani and Niraj Bajaj, said: “We are certain they will add a unique colour to the UTT tapestry. Each season, UTT has grown in stature, bringing together top Indian and international talent in a fiercely competitive environment. “With a new team and a first-time venue in Ahmedabad, Season 6 will build on that promise and deliver high-quality table tennis and thrilling action for players and fans alike.” (PTI)
Pro and Challenger Pickleball League season 2 to be held in Dec
Mumbai, April 1: Building on the immense success of the inaugural season in February, Pro & Challenger Pickleball League will return for its Season 2 from December 16 to 23. The league is set to bring together the finest pickleball talent, with players selected through an auction-based drafting format. The player registration window for the auction started on Tuesday. The league’s prize pool is significant, with each Pro team receiving a purse of USD 62,500 and Challenger teams receiving USD 12,500. With 75 Pro and 75 Challenger players shortlisted, the auction will take place in July/August 2025, ensuring a highly competitive draft where five players per team (comprising 50 Pro & 50 Challenger players) will be selected. (IANS)