Author: WebDesk

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…

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has emphasized that players from opposing teams should avoid any form of physical contact on the field. His comments came ahead of Day 3 of the ongoing fifth Test at The Oval, following a moment involving India pacer Akash Deep and England opener Ben Duckett on Day 2. The incident occurred when Akash Deep dismissed Duckett in the first session after the left-hander gave England a strong start with a brisk 43 off 38 balls. As Duckett began his walk back to the pavilion, Akash Deep—smiling—placed a hand around his shoulder and exchanged a…

In a huge setback for England, all-rounder Chris Woakes has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing fifth Test at The Oval due to a shoulder injury. Ahead of Day 2, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released an official statement confirming that Woakes will be monitored for the rest of the match, but is “at this stage” not expected to take any further part. The ECB stated: “England seamer Chris Woakes will continue to be monitored throughout the remainder of the Rothesay Fifth Test at The Kia Oval, following a left shoulder injury sustained on day…

Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to compete in a T20I tri-nation series ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup. The tri-series will be held from August 29 to September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE — which is also scheduled to host the Asia Cup beginning September 9. The tri-nation series will provide ideal preparation for all three teams, giving them a chance to get used to the conditions in the UAE ahead of the continental tournament. Played in a round-robin format, each team will face the others twice, with the top two…

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Thursday announced that legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and veteran administrator Sharad Pawar will be commemorated with life-size statues at the entrance of the upcoming MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum, located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The museum is set to be inaugurated in the second half of August. Although widely known as a prominent politician, Sharad Pawar has also had a long-standing association with cricket, having served in key roles such as president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the International Cricket…

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has hailed Jack Leach as England’s best spinner, while describing current first-choice and likely 2025-26 Ashes squad member Shoaib Bashir as simply “okay.” Since last year’s tour of Pakistan, Leach has not played for England. During that series, he took 16 wickets in three Tests at an average of 31.43 and a strike rate of 50.75—both significantly better than Bashir’s nine wickets at 49.55 and 79.44, respectively. Despite Leach bowling well in his last series, England have stuck with Bashir. Bashir made his debut in India earlier this year and has since been a regular in…

New Zealand took firm control on the opening day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, with Matt Henry’s fiery six-wicket haul followed by a solid, unbeaten opening partnership between Devon Conway and Will Young. After being asked to bowl first, Henry made an immediate impact, removing opener Brian Bennett in just the third over. Three overs later, Ben Curran was sent packing, giving New Zealand early momentum. Henry continued to trouble the Zimbabwe batters, picking up the wicket of Nick Welch for a patient 27 in the 27th over. His most crucial strike came when he dismissed veteran…

After a successful stint as captain during the recent England tour, Ayush Mhatre has once again been entrusted with leading the India Under-19 team. He will head a 17-member squad for the upcoming multi-format tour of Australia, starting September 21 in Norths. The squad also features in-form batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Top-order batter Vihaan Malhotra has been appointed vice-captain, replacing wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu. Vihaan impressed across both the four-day and one-day formats in England and has been rewarded with a leadership role for the Australia tour. Under Mhatre’s captaincy, India U-19 clinched the Youth ODI series in England with a 3–2…

England have been dealt a major blow ahead of the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval, with skipper Ben Stokes ruled out due to a shoulder injury. Vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead the side in the series decider, starting Thursday, July 31. Scans have confirmed that Stokes has suffered a grade three muscle tear in his right shoulder, sidelining him for at least six to seven weeks. With the Ashes looming later this year, the England all-rounder is not taking any chances with his recovery. Stokes has been the standout performer with the ball in this series,…