New Delhi, Oct 7: Shreyas Iyer stole the spotlight with a stunning maiden T20I century as India stormed past the West Indies by eight wickets to register
their 10th consecutive win. His unbeaten assault came after debutant Naman Dhir's three-wicket haul restricted the visitors to 171, setting the stage for another dominant Indian performance.
While Iyer powered the men's side to victory, a leadership change took centre stage in Indian women's cricket, with Smriti Mandhana appointed full-time white-ball captain after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down across formats. Elsewhere, Bhuvneshwar Kumar made a much-awaited return to India's white-ball setup for the New Zealand tour.
Across the footballing world, Lionel Messi brought down the curtain on his illustrious international career, scoring and assisting in Argentina's 3-0 win over Benin. Meanwhile, India endured a night to forget as Uruguay cruised to a 6-1 victory in Kolkata, exposing major defensive frailties.
Here is your daily sports wrap in the Sports Bulletin for October 7.
Iyer Smashes Maiden T20I Century as India Storm Past West Indies
Shreyas Iyer smashed a spectacular maiden T20I century to power India to an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in Lucknow. Chasing 172, India stuttered early at 36/2 before Iyer's explosive unbeaten assault wrapped up the match in just 14.4 overs with 32 balls to spare. Earlier, debutant Naman Dhir claimed 3/31 to restrict the visitors to 171. The win extended India's impressive T20I winning streak to 10 consecutive matches.
Smriti Mandhana Takes Charge as India's New Captain
Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as the full-time white-ball captain of the Indian Women's cricket team following Harmanpreet Kaur's decision to step down across all formats. The 29-year-old opening batter, who has previously led India in 18 T20Is and 4 ODIs, brings vast experience alongside consecutive WPL titles with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2024 and 2026). Endorsed by the BCCI, Mandhana's first official assignment as full-time captain will be India's upcoming bilateral series in Zimbabwe.
Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Captain
Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the Indian Women's cricket team across all formats after a decade in charge, confirming her international playing career will continue. Kaur leaves a glittering legacy, having captained India to the 2025 ODI World Cup title, back-to-back Asian Games gold medals (2022, 2026), and Commonwealth Games silver. Stating that she leaves with peace and confidence in the team's future, she looks forward to playing purely as a player.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Returns to White-Ball Setup for New Zealand Tour
The BCCI has announced India's T20I and India A squads for the upcoming tour of New Zealand starting October 22. Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar headlines the T20I squad, earning a recall after nearly four years following a strong IPL campaign. Shreyas Iyer continues as captain, alongside returnee Varun Chakravarthy. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel will captain the India A squad for three multi-day matches, featuring high-profile names including Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant.
Lionel Messi Bids Farewell to Argentina in Final International Appearance
Lionel Messi officially retired from international football following Argentina's 3-0 friendly victory against Benin at the Estadio Monumental. Dubbed his "Last Dance," the 39-year-old maestro delivered a fitting performance with a goal from the penalty spot and an assist for Nicolas Otamendi, who also bowed out.
Messi concludes a legendary 21-year international career holding Argentina's all-time records for appearances (207), goals (126), and assists (66), alongside World Cup, Copa America, and Olympic titles.
India Outclassed by Uruguay as La Albiceleste Hit Six Past Goalkeeper
India suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat against Uruguay at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium. Despite an early penalty scored by Darwin NúÑez, Anirudh Thapa briefly equalized for the Blue Tigers in the 22nd minute.
However, a 35-minute delay due to severe lightning disrupted momentum, after which Uruguay dominated. Maximiliano Araújo scored twice, alongside goals from Rodrigo Zalazar, Juan Sanabria, and Rodrigo Aguirre. The loss exposed severe defensive vulnerabilities in head coach Khalid Jamil's squad.
