Author: WebDesk

Australia will field three debutants — Jack Edwards, Matthew Renshaw and Mahli Beardman — in the first T20I against Pakistan, which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday, January 29. Travis Head will lead the side in the series opener, as regular captain Mitchell Marsh has been rested to manage his workload. Interestingly, none of these players are part of Australia’s squad for this year’s T20 World Cup. However, with many World Cup-bound players unavailable for various reasons, young players who have performed well recently in the BBL 2025–26 will be given an opportunity against Pakistan.…

Spin-bowling all-rounder Sophie Molineux has been appointed all-format captain of the Australian women’s team. She will replace Alyssa Healy, who will play her final series at home against India. Tahlia McGrath, who served as Healy’s deputy, has not been promoted to lead the team and will continue in her role as vice-captain. Ashleigh Gardner, another contender, has been named second vice-captain. “It’s a real honour to be named Australian captain and something I’m incredibly proud of, especially following on from Alyssa, who’s had such a huge impact on this team and the game,” Molineux said. “We’ve got a really strong…

In a major blow to the USA team ahead of the T20 World Cup, star batter Aaron Jones has been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. The 31-year-old cricketer has been charged with five counts of breaching the anti-corruption codes of the ICC and Cricket West Indies (CWI). According to the ICC, three of the charges against Jones relate predominantly to his participation in the 2023–24 Bim10 tournament in Barbados, which falls under the jurisdiction of CWI. The remaining two charges concern international matches, bringing the total to five. Jones has been given 14 days to…

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team to defend their T20 World Cup title, while also highlighting the importance of spinners at the mega event, which begins next month on February 7. Having won the last World Cup, India have the opportunity to become the first team to win back-to-back titles. It would also mark India’s third ICC title in two years, having won last year’s Champions Trophy as well. “I think the defending champions start as clear favourites,” Shastri said, as quoted by the ICC. “Man for man, current form, match fitness, and…

India Under-19 skipper Ayush Mhatre has urged his teammates to focus on their preparations for what he described as just another ‘normal match’ against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 1. For the first time in the ongoing ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, India will cross swords with Pakistan in a highly anticipated encounter, which will be the final Super Six fixture for both teams. The Boys in Blue head into the game with momentum on their side, having won four matches on the trot. Up next are their arch-rivals, Pakistan. Despite the long-standing history between the two nations and the…

James Neesham and Lockie Ferguson have joined the New Zealand squad for the final two T20Is of the five-match series. Both players joined the team in Vizag ahead of the fourth T20I. With Neesham and Ferguson joining the squad, Tim Robinson and Kristian Clarke have been released and will fly back home. Both Robinson and Clarke played the series opener in Nagpur, after which they were replaced by Matt Henry and Tim Seifert in New Zealand’s playing XI for the second T20I, which was played in Raipur. They also did not feature in the third T20I. In addition, Finn Allen,…

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has appointed Devdutt Padikkal as captain of the team for the remainder of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. The 25-year-old cricketer replaces Mayank Agarwal. Amit Verma, the chief selector of KSCA, announced the decision on Monday afternoon. The call was made ahead of Karnataka’s must-win final Group B fixture against Punjab, starting on 29 January in Mohali. Veteran wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has also returned to the Karnataka squad for the crucial clash. “We feel that Mayank (Agarwal) gets very involved with the team, and we believe that the responsibility of captaincy is taking a…

Hard-hitting batter Quentin Sampson has been included, while Alzarri Joseph and Evin Lewis have been left out of the 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which begins next month in India and Sri Lanka. Shai Hope will lead the two-time title winners. After his exploits in the CPL, where he scored 241 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 151.57, Sampson earned his maiden call-up for the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in Dubai. The right-handed batter endured a forgettable series, amassing 35 runs across three innings. Despite the modest returns, the 25-year-old…

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) against the idea of pulling out of the tournament, saying it would result in massive losses for broadcasters, who would be left in serious trouble if the India–Pakistan game does not take place as scheduled. On Saturday, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi put Pakistan’s participation under the scanner by saying that the government would decide whether the Men in Green would take part in the major event or not. “If Pakistan don’t play the World Cup, then the broadcaster will be on the road. If Pakistan pull out, then…

Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha emphasised that India won the Champions Trophy last year because they “played well” in Dubai, where the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team played all their matches. Just as India were confined to Dubai during last year’s Champions Trophy, Salman and his team will be based in Colombo for the T20 World Cup 2026. As per the pre-decided agreement, the 2009 champions will play all their matches at the R Premadasa Stadium and the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. Both venues are located in Colombo. “It is an advantage. The other teams will be travelling and staying…