Author: WebDesk

Veteran Australian batter Steve Smith has set his sights on representing Australia at the 2028 Olympics and is working toward a return to the T20l side by featuring in various white-ball leagues around the world. Smith, who has amassed 5,806 runs in 258 T20 matches, stepped back from ODI cricket to focus on the shortest format, hoping it increases his chances of Olympic selection. Despite his efforts, the 36-year-old hasn’t featured in a T20I since February 2024. To bolster his case for a recall, Smith has been actively participating in T20 competitions such as the Big Bash League and Major…

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially announced a 25-member preliminary squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. The squad, led by Litton Das, features a mix of national team regulars and promising performers from the Bangladesh ‘A’ team setup. In addition to the Asia Cup preparations, BCB also named a 15-man Bangladesh A squad for the Top End T20 Series 2025, scheduled to be held later this month in Darwin, Australia. Nurul Hasan Sohan, who is also part of the preliminary Asia Cup squad, will captain the ‘A’ side in the tournament. Among the notable inclusions in the 25-member…

West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase etched an unwanted milestone in cricket history by becoming the first batter to retire out in a men’s T20 International between two Full Member nations. The rare event occurred during West Indies’ chase of 190 against Pakistan in the third T20I in Lauderhill on Sunday. Struggling to find momentum and clear the boundary, Chase was tactically retired in the 18th over of the innings following a message from the dressing room. At the time, he had scored 15 off 12 balls, managing just two boundaries and failing to accelerate as required in the final overs.…

After impressing with the bat in his debut T20I series against the West Indies, Mitchell Owen is now gearing up for his maiden ODI series. While he’s expected to slot into the middle order, the Tasmanian all-rounder is unfazed, ready to embrace the demands of 50-over cricket with the same aggressive mindset. Owen earned his first ODI call-up for the upcoming home series against South Africa, starting August 19, following a standout T20I debut where he scored 50, an unbeaten 36, 2, and 37 at a remarkable strike rate of 192.30, primarily batting at No. 6. With Steve Smith, Glenn…

In a huge setback for Pakistan, senior batter Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies after suffering a left hamstring strain during the second T20I. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that no replacement will be named for the series. The 35-year-old sustained the injury in the 19th over while chasing a ball in the outfield. He received immediate attention from the team physio and has since been sidelined from all cricketing activity. Consequently, Fakhar did not feature in the third and final T20I, which Pakistan won by 13 runs to…

Former England captain Graham Gooch has voiced his concerns about the future of Test cricket amid renewed discussions around a potential two-tier structure being considered by the ICC. The proposed system could lead to an increase in matches among the so-called “Big Three” — India, England, and Australia — potentially sidelining other nations. While Gooch acknowledged the intense rivalries between these top teams as beneficial for the sport, he warned that this shouldn’t come at the cost of excluding other cricketing nations. According to various reports, the ICC is in talks with the cricket boards of India, Australia, and England…

New Zealand fast-bowling allrounder Nathan Smith has been ruled out of the second Test against Zimbabwe due to an abdominal strain. In his place, pace-bowling allrounder Zakary Foulkes has received his first call-up to the Test squad, as confirmed by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). Smith picked up the injury on Day 2 of the first Test in Bulawayo while batting. He was forced to retire hurt at the end of the 93rd over, having made 22 off 79 balls, and did not return to the field for the rest of the match. An MRI scan later confirmed an abdominal strain,…

Swashbuckling West Indies batter Rovman Powell has been officially ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against Pakistan after failing to recover from a wrist injury sustained during the recent home series against Australia, which the hosts lost 5-0. Cricket West Indies confirmed the news ahead of the second T20I, also announcing that no replacement will be named for the remainder of the series. Powell injured his wrist while attempting a catch in the outfield during the fourth T20I against Australia on July 26 in St. Kitts. The 32-year-old missed the fifth and final game of that series but was…

Australian opener David Warner took a cheeky dig at Joe Root, suggesting the England star will need to “take the surfboard off his front leg” if he hopes to handle Josh Hazlewood in the upcoming Ashes series set to be played in Australia later this year. Currently the No.1 ranked Test batter in the world, Root has struggled to score big runs on Australian soil. In 14 Tests down under, England’s most-prolific run-scorer has scored 892 runs at an average of 35.68, with nine fifties but no centuries — his highest being 89. Warner pointed out that Hazlewood has dismissed…

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has acknowledged that the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNS) in Mirpur, Dhaka is currently not suitable for hosting international cricket. After the heavy criticism during the recent Bangladesh-Pakistan T20I series, which Bangladesh won, BCB’s cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin addressed concerns around the quality of the pitch. He clarified that the board never instructed curators to prepare a slow and low surface. The SBNS pitch came under fire after both teams struggled to post competitive totals in what turned out to be a low-scoring series. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson was particularly…