Sports Bulletin on December 18: R Ashwin Announces Retirement as Brisbane Test Ends a Draw, Impact on WTC Points Table

Add as a preferred source on Google

In today's sports bulletin, we cover major developments in international cricket and football. R Ashwin bids adieu to international cricket after a stellar career, as the Brisbane Test ended in a draw, impacting the WTC points table.

Meanwhile, Pakistan secured their first ODI win over South Africa since 2021, and Bangladesh clinched the T20I series against West Indies with a thrilling performance. Let's take a look at all the bulletins below:

R Ashwin Bids Farewell to International Cricket after Brisbane Test

Indian spin maestro R Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket following the drawn third Test against Australia in Brisbane. The 38-year-old all-rounder concludes his illustrious career as India's second-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 wickets in 106 matches, trailing only Anil Kumble. Across formats, Ashwin claimed 765 wickets in 287 matches, winning the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. He'll continue playing T20 leagues, including IPL 2025 with Chennai Super Kings. Captain Rohit Sharma supported Ashwin's decision during the joint announcement.

Rain and Bumrah Spell Draw in Brisbane as Border-Gavaskar Series Stays Level

The third Test between Australia and India at the Gabba ended in a draw due to persistent rain and bad light, keeping the series tied at 1-1. India's innings concluded at 260, with Akash Deep's crucial 31 helping avoid the follow-on. Australia's second innings was a dramatic affair, with Bumrah leading India's attack effectively. The hosts collapsed to 5-33 before some aggressive batting from Pat Cummins (22) provided brief entertainment. Both teams now head to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test.

Virat Kohli and Cricket Fraternity Pay Rich Tribute to Ashwin's Stellar Test Career

India's ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket prompting an outpouring of tributes from the cricket community. Notable personalities including Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, Ian Bishop, Anil Kumble, KL Rahul, and Cheteshwar Pujara lauded the 38-year-old's remarkable 14-year international career, highlighting his contributions to Indian cricket.

WTC Final Race gets complicated after Brisbane Draw

The Brisbane Test draw complicated the World Test Championship (WTC) scenario. South Africa leads the standings with 63.33%, followed by Australia (58.89%) and India (55.88%). India need to win both remaining Tests to secure a spot in the 2025 Lord's final. Australia's result in the Sri Lanka Tests won't have an effect on India's qualification. If India wins one and draws one, then they would need Sri Lanka to play out a draw against Australia in one of the Tests.

Jasprit Bumrah Surpasses Kapil Dev as India's Most Successful Pacer in Australia

Jasprit Bumrah made history by becoming India's most successful pacer in Australia in Test cricket. With 53 wickets at an average of 17.21, Bumrah surpassed Kapil Dev’s record of 51 wickets. His remarkable spell of 6/76 in the first innings followed by 3/18 in the second innings helped him reach the mark. This makes him the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Australia.

Rohit Sharma: Shami's Return Will Only Happen If Team is '200% Sure' of His Fitness

India captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed that Mohammed Shami will not return to the team unless the management is "200% sure" of his fitness. Shami has been sidelined since the 50-overs World Cup due to ankle surgery and recent knee swelling concerns. Despite calls to support Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit remains cautious and will rely on advice from the National Cricket Academy before making a decision on Shami's return.

Vinicius Junior & Aitana Bonmatí Crowned Best FIFA Players of 2024

Vinicius Junior and Aitana Bonmatí secured the top honors at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024 in Doha. Vinicius was celebrated for leading Real Madrid to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season, while Bonmatí was pivotal for FC Barcelona’s Champions League and Liga F triumphs. Bonmatí also won her second Ballon d'Or earlier this year. Additionally, Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho took home the Puskas Award for his incredible overhead kick against Everton.

Mitchell Santner Named New Zealand’s New White-Ball Captain

Mitchell Santner has been appointed as New Zealand's new white-ball captain, taking over from Kane Williamson. With 243 international appearances, Santner has previously captained the team in 24 T20Is and four ODIs. His full-time leadership begins with a T20 series against Sri Lanka in December, followed by an ODI series in January. Santner emphasized excitement about leading during a crucial period of white-ball cricket for New Zealand.

Saim Ayub's Century and Salman Agha's Heroics Secure Pakistan's First ODI Win Over South Africa Since 2021

Pakistan claimed a thrilling 1st ODI victory against South Africa (240 runs target) at Boland Park, with Saim Ayub scoring a pivotal century and Salman Agha contributing a crucial 50. Despite Pakistan's early struggle at 60/4, their 141-run partnership turned the tide. Agha's all-round performance and decisive bowling helped Pakistan edge out South Africa. This marks Pakistan's first win over the Proteas in ODIs since 2021.

Taskin & Mahedi Shine as Bangladesh Defend 129 to Clinch T20I Series

Bangladesh secured a 2-0 T20I series win over West Indies with a 27-run victory in the second match at Arnos Vale. Despite posting their lowest total batting first (129/7), a collective bowling effort led by Taskin Ahmed (3/16) and Mahedi Hasan (2/25) restricted West Indies to 102 runs. Shamim Hossain's late 35* off 17 balls proved crucial. Bangladesh bowled West Indies out for 42/6 by the ninth over, sealing the series triumph.