There is a unique type of basketball known as 'Auntie Basketball.' This style of play is popular among visitors from Guizhou Province, located in southern China.
These sporty and charismatic participants are gaining recognition on Chinese social media, and now they are demonstrating their skills in the United States.
Mark Niu from CGTN reports on a match that took place in Palo Alto.
During the men's Asian Games semi-final, Ishan Kishan demonstrated outstanding batting performance, surpassing veterans such as Yuvraj Singh and Hardik Pandya. Kishan scored an unbeaten 80 runs off 46 balls, enabling India to reach 169 runs in 20 overs, winning the match by 7 wickets.
This match took place in Kishin.
Thanks to this innings, Ishan Kishan entered history as the player who scored the highest individual score in a single innings while playing for India at the fifth position or lower. Previously, this record belonged to Manish Pandey, who scored 79 runs unbeaten against South Africa in 2018.
Other notable achievements include: Yuvraj Singh scoring 77 runs unbeaten against Australia in 2013; Hardik Pandya scoring 71 runs unbeaten against Australia in 2022; and Rinku Singh scoring 69 runs unbeaten against Afghanistan in 2024.
In the match, which started with Sri Lanka winning the auction and deciding to bowl first, the pitch was characterized by strong ball spin. Sri Lanka attempted to trap the Indian batsmen with spinners. During the Indian innings, fast bowlers were used only in two overs.
Abhishek Sharma was dismissed after 7 runs off 3 balls, and Sanju Samson managed only 7 runs off 9 balls. Meanwhile, Vaibhav Suryavanshi played in his style, scoring 38 runs off 21 balls. He played a key role in India reaching a score of 58/2 in the powerplay.
After Vaibhav's departure, captain Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel also left the field. This slowed down India's run rate, but then Ishan took charge. Kishan relied more on straight drives against the spinners. Four of his five sixes were hit in the area between long-on and long-off, and he also hit four fours, remaining unbeaten and taking India's score to 169 runs.
Kishan has set the record for the highest individual score for batsmen batting at the fifth position or lower in T20 International. The following results are provided for comparison: 80* Ishan Kishan against Sri Lanka in Nishin in 2026; 79* Manish Pandey against South Africa in Senchurian in 2018; 77* Yuvraj Singh against Australia in Rajkot in 2013; 71* Hardik Pandya against Australia in Mohali in 2022; and 69* Rinku Singh against Afghanistan in Bangalore in 2024. It is also noted that Rinku Singh scored 68* against South Africa in Gwalior in 2023.
Furthermore, in this match, Sri Lanka bowled 17 overs of spin against India. This made the game one of those where the highest number of spin overs were bowled against a full member team in T20I. Previously, such matches were played between Zimbabwe and West Indies, as well as between Pakistan and Australia, where 18 spin overs were bowled. In the Pakistan-India match in 2026, 18 spin overs were also bowled.
Following the match in Guwahati, debates continue over whether it was a day for great batsmen or an open rebellion of the pitch against the bowlers. Although the West Indies scored an impressive 405 runs, India managed to overcome this barrier, as if the goal was merely a formality, winning by a margin of 39 wickets with eight dismissals, in just 43.3 overs.
This record total of 811 runs raises an important question: was it a result of the batsmen's genius or the unfavorable conditions on the field for the bowlers?
The highest score by the West Indies in ODI history was 405/7, but in Guwahati, this figure proved insufficient to secure a win in defense.
Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma provided the answer. Gill scored 233 not out off 133 balls, which included 26 fours and 8 sixes, making him the fastest double centurion in ODIs. Rohit added 101 runs off 75 balls, including 10 fours and 6 sixes. Together, these two scored 255 runs for the first wicket, dismantling the West Indies attack.
Despite the obvious skill of Gill and Rohit, the match picture cannot be described solely by batting skills; the condition of the pitch must also be considered. In Guwahati, the ball did not receive much assistance from the air. Seam movement was absent, and the bounce that could have caused discomfort to the batsman was also not observed. The ball came to the batsman, and he played it as he wished. Under such conditions, the cost of error for the bowler increases, and the opportunities for the batsman to attack expand.
It would be easy to call the match with a total of 811 simply an ODI celebration, but India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, saw in this bright picture the helplessness of the bowlers. Discussing the match with the broadcaster after winning the series, Gambhir stated that there should be more confrontation between bat and ball. He emphasized: 'This is not cricket, it is only baseball' (a literal translation of the phrase, implying the dominance of one element).
Citing young bowlers as an example, Gambhir noted what a young bowler can do on such a pitch when the opponent scores 400 runs, and then his own team is also chasing 400? From the perspective of records, spectators, and broadcasters, the match may seem magnificent, but as a fan and a coach, sympathy should be shown to the bowlers.
This observation takes the entire match beyond a mere 'run fest.' For the batsmen, it might be paradise, but in cricket, the bowler exists not only to fulfill statistics. He needs something from the air, something from the pitch, or some slight unpredictability in the bounce so that the batsman is forced to reconsider his technique—that is what the clash of bat and ball is. When all these factors disappear due to the pitch condition, the task remains solely before the batsman, and Gill and Rohit fulfilled it. Under such circumstances, any world top batsman can temporarily look like the embodiment of Bradman.
The mention of Bradman here is not to define anyone's greatness, but to explain the imbalance where the batsman has numerous options and the bowler has a limited arsenal.
In ODI cricket, 400 runs used to be considered an exceptional achievement. In Guwahati, both teams exceeded this threshold. The difference is that the West Indies stopped at 405, while India went further, reaching 406, leaving 39 wickets.
This does not mean that every score above 400 is due to the pitch, or that every big batting innings is a gift from the dismissed player. In the innings of Gill (233) and Rohit (101), their skills, aggression, and shot selection were also involved. However, when both teams cross the 400 mark in one match, the natural question arises about the role of the pitch.
Gambhir raised exactly this question: records are needed, but not at the expense of the confrontation itself. India won the series 2-0. Gill etched his name into the record books, Rohit left his mark as the seventh, and the chase for 406 runs entered history. But the true discussion of Guwahati goes beyond the scoreboard. In cricket, the batsman must have a chance to score runs, but the bowler must also have a chance to take a wicket. Otherwise, the mountain of 400 runs will turn into a sand dune on a pitch that favors spin.
The Indian team received a significant blow ahead of the third and final ODI match of the series against West Indies. Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out of participation in this match due to an injury.
India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, confirmed Prasidh Krishna's injury after the second ODI. Kotak stated that Prasidh Krishna's injury is being closely monitored, and further scanning and examinations will be conducted to assess his condition. The severity of the injury will be determined by subsequent medical checks, and the team management continues to monitor his physical fitness.
Prasidh Krishna played an important role for the team during the series as a bowler. Despite the injury that prevents him from participating in the third ODI, the Indian team already holds a 2-0 lead in the series, having defeated the West Indies in the second ODI held in Guwahati by 8 wickets.
The third and final match of the series will take place on October 3rd (Saturday) in New Chandigarh. During this series, Prasidh Krishna took 3 wickets in two matches. Now, it will be a matter of attention which bowler will be included in the starting lineup instead of Prasidh Krishna for this match. The goal of the Indian team in the third ODI is to win 3-0 in the series by demonstrating strong play.
Mohammed Siraj has not yet had a chance in this series, so, considering Prasidh Krishna's absence, the team management might give Mohammed Siraj a spot in the starting XI for the final ODI.
