The eight teams that have qualified for the tournament will compete in a knockout format, starting with the quarterfials, followed by the semifinals and the medal matches. Japan, being the hosts, qualified directly, while four regional full-member nations - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka received direct entry.

Six teams competed for the final three spots at a qualifier held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from May 26 to May 31. They were split into two groups of three each and the top two teams from each group advanced to the semifinals. Thailand (winners), Malaysia (runners-up) and China (third place) qualified for the Asian Games.

All the matches of the upcoming tournament will be played at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, with starts scheduled for 9am local time (5:30am IST, 1am UK time) and 2pm local time (10:30am IST, 6am UK time).

Asian Games Women’s Cricket Competition 2026: Full squads

Japan

Mai Yanagida (c), Hinase Goto, Akari Nishimura (wk), Seika Sumi, Ahilya Chandel, Meg Ogawa, Ayumi Fujikawa, Elena Kusuda-Narin, Nonoha Yasumoto, Erika Toguchi-Quinn, Erika Oda (vc), Haruna Iwasaki, Shimako Kato, Ayaka Kato-Stafford, Kurumi Ota.

Bangladesh

Nigar Sultana (c) (wk), Dilara Akter (wk), Juairiya Ferdous (wk), Sobhana Mostary, Sarmin Sultana, Sharmin Akter, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter (vc), Fahima Khatun, Fariha Trisna, Marufa Akter, Sanjida Akter, Sultana Khatun.

India

Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh, Gunalan Kamalini, Shreyanka Patil, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav.

Pakistan

Fatima Sana (c), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza (wk), Muneeba Ali (wk), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Aliya Riaz, Saira Jabeen, Human Bilal, Momina Riasat, Nashra Sandhu, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani.

Sri Lanka

Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunaratne, Sanjana Kavindi, Imesha Dulani, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Sugandika Kumari, Nimasha Meepage, Chamudi Praboda, Kawya Kavindi, Mithali Ayodhya, Hasini Perera.

Malaysia

TBA

China

TBA

Thailand

TBA

Asian Games Women’s Cricket Competition 2026: Full schedule

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Do not blame yourself if you have to think hard. It is not your fault that cricket’s middle format is headed towards irrelevance. These days, the people who matter want to keep it that way. 

To be fair, they have had little choice. As T20 leagues forced cricket’s calendar to shrink, the ICC managed to keep Tests relevant through the flawed but relevant World Test Championship. As a result, limited-overs internationals outside the marquee tournaments were reduced to a forgettable footnote. 

Cricket’s middle format has neither Test cricket’s unchallenged prestige nor T20’s cash. Full Members have to play some ODIs, but these are often blink-and-miss hyphens joining the other two formats. The ODI rankings are important for World Cup berths, but too many teams qualify directly for these bilaterals to matter. The Cricket World Cup Super League died with a whimper three years ago.

In a way, ODIs have come full circle from where they were half a century ago: few care for them outside the World Cups. For much of the last fifty years, however, they did rule the world of cricket. And triangular tournaments played a major role in that.

One can see why. Triangulars do not involve the banality of a team facing the same opposition every day. What is more, bilaterals peter out once one team takes an unassailable lead, but a triangular has a final. Fans invariably prefer a well-marketed, hyped-up Big Match to close out a contest. And the incentive of a final brings with it the thrills of qualification calculations (you remember those bonus points, right?). 

Packer, Sharjah, and all that

Annoyed by the Australian board’s refusal to grant him television rights for cricket in the nation, media mogul Kerry Packer launched World Series Cricket, an unsanctioned private cricket league. For the league to work, Packer needed cricket of the highest quality to make the fans turn away from “official” cricket. For that, he needed as many of the mighty West Indians as possible, the superpower of the time. His agents did a splendid job of recruiting enough of them to form a separate team. 

This enabled Packer to launch a triangular, featuring hosts Australia, the West Indies, and a World XI. When the Australian Cricket Board eventually struck a truce, Packer insisted on replicating the idea for every home summer. And so it began. 

The neutral games got over in a day. And even that day was new and exciting, played in coloured clothing with white balls even when the sun was out. Channel Nine added to the drama with state-of-the-art coverage. Most importantly, the cricket was of the highest quality. The board managed to invite the West Indies for four of the first six summers (they obviously won all four). Packer’s tournament was successful in every way the ICC’s 1912 Triangular Test tournament was not.

Something to connect these two paragraphs - like Packer lit the fuse, but things really exploded when the triangular came to South Asia…

For a few years, the concept continued only in Australia. Then in June 1983, BCCI president NKP Salve became so riled by the MCC (let us leave that story for another day) that he set his sights on bringing the 1987 World Cup home. In this ambitious task, he found allies in Nur Khan and Gamini Dissanayake, his counterparts in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. On September 19, the three boards (along with Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Singapore) founded the Asian Cricket Council, the first regional organisation that would host international cricket and generate profit.

In 1984, the three Asian Full Members met for the first Asia Cup, in Sharjah. This made the UAE the first ICC Associate Member to host international cricket, and the first country to host a cricket tournament they did not participate in.

The Asia Cup found other homes over the years, but Sharjah grew exponentially in stature as a venue. Its 255 matches are still more than 50 games clear of any other venue in the world. In the 1990s, when the centre of cricket began to shift from England to the Indian subcontinent, Sharjah evolved as the face of ODIs in Asia. Celebrities from India, Pakistan, and beyond flew down to the matches, making it the most glamorous cricketing destination long before franchise cricket came along.

The first chapter of the triangular (and, at times, quadrangular) ODI tournaments thus took place in two continents. Of the first 29 of these contests (until the end of 1992), Australia hosted 15 and Sharjah nine. Three of the other five were Asia Cups.

The 1990s also saw South Africa return from exile and immediately establish themselves as one of the best sides, while Sri Lanka grew at breakneck pace to become world champions. The pool of strong teams suddenly grew enough to have high-quality one-day cricket throughout the year. Triangular ODI contests became the fad, even beyond the traditional powerhouses.

Bangladesh and Kenya, the two fastest rising Associate Nations in the 1990s, were obvious options as eager participants, but it was not just them. Between 1996 and 2008, Full Members played triangular ODI tournaments in Singapore, Morocco, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Ireland, Scotland, and Canada.

Associates hosting 3- or 4-nation tournaments featuring Full Members (excluding Asia Cup and/or matches in Sharjah)

With four years separating World Cups and the Champions Trophy struggling to find relevance, three-nation tournaments became cricket’s lifeline over this period. They produced numerous historical episodes, tactical revolutions, iconic moments, and holistic upheavals.

The list is long and diverse. Some incidents prompted changes to the Laws of Cricket as teams pushed the rules to their limits for an edge. In 1979, With three to defend off the last ball at Sydney, England captain Mike Brearley sent all his fielders to the boundary line. A year later, New Zealand needed seven off one ball when Greg Chappell ordered brother Trevor to bowl underarm.  Cue shock, controversy, and attention.

What about innovations? In 1982/83, Lance Cairns strode out brandishing an Excalibur – he had the shoulder of his bat shaved off – and hit six sixes (including a one-handed one off Dennis Lillee) in the colossal MCG. Nearly a decade later, Javed Miandad used the dimensions of the WACA with characteristic efficiency to carve out an unbeaten 59 with 45 singles and no boundaries to mastermind a chase against the West Indies. In between these two, in 1986 at Sharjah, Gus Logie became the first to win a Player of the Match award for fielding.

Then there were the memories. 

A young Glenn McGrath stunned a star-studded Pakistan in the 1994 Wills Triangular final at Lahore. Michael Bevan lit up New Year’s Day 1996 with the kind of chase that would inspire commentators to add the word “finisher” over the years that followed. In the same summer, Sri Lanka trial-ran Romesh Kaluwitharana at the top in Australia. Combined with Sanath Jayasuriya, this introduced the idea of hitters on both ends to open an ODI – a tactic they rode to the World Cup title a few months later. Soon after, Jayasuriya smashed the fastest ODI hundred in a triangular at a tiny ground in Singapore. But that awe-inspiring record only lasted a few months before it was overhauled by a teenager called Shahid Afridi in a Kenya quadrangular.

The 1994/95 Australian summer featured England and Zimbabwe, prompting the hosts to add Australia A to the mix to give their team more of a challenge (the two home teams played in the final). Two years later however, it was the visitors dishing out the punishment as Pakistan and the West Indies knocked Australia out at the group stage of their own series. 

In 1998 amidst a desert storm, Sachin Tendulkar played one of the most famous innings of his career, adding another iconic moment to Sharjah’s ever expanding list. It came only months after England’s otherwise luckless side stunned all by winning an ODI tournament under the crafty Adam Hollioake at the same venue.

Like much else with cricket in the 1990s, England themselves were late to the party, only hosting their first triangular in 1998. It just lasted until 2005, but that included 2000 (when Zimbabwe topped the league table), 2001 (when Waqar Younis took 13 wickets in two games and Alec Stewart conceded a match), 2002 (when Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif pulled off a miracle in the final), and 2005 (when Bangladesh beat world champions Australia for the first time).

Perhaps the most defining example of the importance of triangulars came in 2003, when world champions Australia dropped the legendary Waugh brothers – stalwarts of the 1999 trophy win – from their World Cup squad. The reason? Australia had failed to make the final of a home triangular (?)  a season prior and that was enough to make huge changes.

Yes, triangular tournaments mattered.

Decline

It is not a coincidence that triangular ODI tournaments began to fade out from the late 2010s, roughly the same time when franchise leagues began to mushroom around the world. Not only did the calendar shrink for individual players but it also became increasingly difficult to get two visiting teams to tour at the same time. 

Of course, it will not be right to put the blame solely on T20s. 

Barring ICC and ACC competitions, India has not hosted a three- or four-nation tournament since 2003, South Africa since 2001, and New Zealand since 1995. Before 2025, Pakistan’s last such effort was the 2004 Paktel Cup. The charm had already been wearing off for some time before T20s truly took over. 

But why did they stop? The ECB was criticised for scheduling a triangular (and a bilateral) in early summer of 2005, because it meant that England ended up playing 10 ODIs before the Ashes even began. That year’s final ended in a tie and England later famously won the Ashes, but in 2006 they split the summer into two bilaterals punctuated by the Test series, and have not hosted a triangular since.

What about Australia? The success of the 2007 World Twenty20 (now the T20 World Cup) meant that T20Is began to be a part of their summer calendar. That meant the generally 15-match traditional triangular had to go. That December, they announced a switch to bilaterals for “the next few years”, but the triangulars only returned twice before disappearing for good.

One can see why. Matches not featuring the hosts seldom drew crowds – on the field or in front of screens. The growing influence of broadcasters turbocharged franchise cricket. In a way, things had come full circle, for Packer and Sharjah were both also created out of broadcaster needs.

Over the past few years, the men’s game has experimented with triangular T20I tournaments. One, in 2017/18, was played across two legs, in Australia and New Zealand. Dinesh Karthik’s finishing touches to the Nidahas final in Sri Lanka became an instant YouTube hit. Aaron Finch’s 172 in Zimbabwe in 2018 is still the men’s T20I world record. Pakistan and New Zealand have both hosted these, as has Sharjah. A recent one in Namibia saw the hosts stun South Africa.

Throughout their 25-year dominance, triangular tournaments were instrumental in the evolution of ODIs and reshaping of the power of cricket’s rulers. As of now, a revival seems unlikely. But even if they do not return, they will forever have their rightful place in the history of cricket.

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Starting the series at seventh in the rankings with 75 rating points, Pakistan lost by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley and by 194 runs at Lord’s, prompting wholesale changes from the PCB, including sacking the head and bowling coaches.

Their fortunes didn’t change for good at Edgbaston as well and they lost by eight wickets to slip another spot in the men’s Test team rankings and fall to an all-time low of ninth. They lost four rating points during the course of the series and now have 71. England, meanwhile, stayed at fifth place.

Also read: Pink Salt and the plight of Pakistan’s potential

Updated ICC Men's Test team rankings after England whitewash Pakistan 3-0

Pakistan's rise to the top of the Test rankings in 2016 had come on the back of three back-to-back series wins and a 2-2 draw in England. On the other hand, the current side has won just one Test series since beating Sri Lanka 2-0 away in July 2023 – a 2-1 takedown of England in 2024 as Pakistan dished out rank turners after losing the first Test by an innings and 47 runs on a flat wicket.

If the series whitewash, wholesale sackings and a new low in the Test rankings wasn’t enough, Babar Azam’s side were also docked 11 WTC points for their slow over-rate in the Edgbaston Test. They sit at the bottom of the points table with just five points now in nine matches of the ongoing cycle.

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The two teams have locked horns in nine ODIs on Zimbabwean soil till date, with Australia registering eight victories. Their only loss came in the most recent ODI in 2014, when Zimbabwe chased 210 with three wickets to spare. 

Marnus Labuschagne has not been selected for the series, with an intention to keep him fresh for the Test series against South Africa. With the absence of Pat Cummins as well, Mitchell Marsh is set to lead the Australians for the three-match series. 

As for Zimbabwe, Richard Ngarava has been ruled out of the series with a lower back issue. Sikandar Raza will be in-charge of their proceedings, with Blessing Muzarabani leading the pace attack. 

Also read: ZIM vs AUS ODIs: Full squads, team news, schedule and all you need to know for Australia tour of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe vs Australia ODIs 2026, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in Australia?

Fans in Australia can enjoy the broadcast of the three-match series on Fox Cricket. Live streaming will be available on Kayo Sports.

Where to watch in Zimbabwe?

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) will telecast the three-ODI series live for fans in Zimbabwe.

Where to watch in India?

FanCode will live stream the three-match ODI series between Zimbabwe and Australia in India.

Where to watch in Pakistan and Bangladesh?

TapMad are the official streaming partners of the Zimbabwe vs Australia ODIs in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Where to watch Zimbabwe 🆚 Australia ODI series 📺#ZIMvAUS #ExperienceZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/Hl5n1nA9o6

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) September 14, 2026

Where to watch in the UK?

Hotstar will provide live streaming of all the three matches in the UK.

Where to watch in Canada and Singapore?

Hotstar will also live stream the Zimbabwe vs Australia ODIs in Canada and Singapore.

Image courtesty: Zimbabwe Cricket/X

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Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester are scheduled to host the three T20Is, respectively. The first two matches of the series will commence at 6:30pm local time (11pm IST & SLST), whereas the third T20I will start at 11am local time (3:30pm IST & SLST). 

Also read: ENG vs SL T20Is: Full squads, team news, schedule and all you need to know for Sri Lanka tour of England

England vs Sri Lanka 2026, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in India?

Fans in India can watch live telecast of the England vs Sri Lanka series on the Sony Sports Network. The live streaming for all the games will be available on Sony LIV. 

Where to watch in the UK?

Fans in the United Kingdom can watch live brodcast of the three-match T20I series on Sky Sports. They can also access live streaming on NOW TV. 

Where to watch in Sri Lanka? 

The T20I series between England and Sri Lanka will be telecast live via PEO Sports in Sri Lanka. Fans can access the stream on Sony Sports 1 (HD channel 320, SD channel 38), and Ten Cricket (HD channel 317 and SD channel 44).  

Where to watch in Pakistan?

Fans in Pakistan can live stream all three games of the ENG vs SL T20I series on Tapmad. 

Where to watch in the USA & Canada?

The live streaming for all the T20Is from Sri Lanka’s tour of England will be available in the USA & Canada on Willow TV.

Where to watch in South Africa?

Fans in South Africa will be able to access the broadcast on SuperSport.

Where to watch in New Zealand?

 Sky Sport NZ will be the broadcaster for the three-match T20I series in New Zealand. 

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Playing for the Khan Research Laboratories against Ghani, Shaheen returned figures of 4-61, which included three wickets in an over. His first victim of the innings was opener Khawaja Arham, who could manage 3 off 11 before Shaheen had him caught behind on the second day of the season opener.

The returning quick levelled up on the third day, cleaning up the opposition tail in a space of five deliveries. With Ghani on 306-7 in 81 overs, in reply to KRL's 547-9, Shaheen bowled Ghulam Haider (12 off 47) on the first delivery, before dismissing No.10 Shoaib Akhtar on the third ball with a pinpoint yorker, having tricked him into thinking that he would bowl a short one.

Shaheen then got the better of Ali Raza, who was dismissed trying to cross-bat a short-pitched delivery, only to top-edge it and hand wicketkeeper Asim Ali an easy catch. Ghani were thus bundled out for 306 in their first innings and conceded a 241-run first-innings lead to KRL.

Also read: Captain, dropped, sent home, triple ton: Salman Ali Agha just had the craziest month ever

Earlier in the game, Fakhar Zaman (128) and Imran Rafiq (129) scored hundreds for KRL, and Asim Ali contributed with 87. Shaheen also scored a 49-ball 47 in a knock featuring two fours and three sixes, to power KRL to 547. Haider and Mohammad Wasim picked up four and three wickets, respectively, for Ghani.

In reply, Haseebullah Khan was Ghani's top-scorer, but fell just one short of a fifth first-class ton. Sharjeel Khan (59) and Ali Razzaq (52) also scored respective fifties. Shaheen was the top wicket-taker with four in the first innings, while Iftikhar Ahmed also bagged two.

Also read: WTC 2025-27 points table: Updated World Test Championship standings after Pakistan over-rate penalty

This match marks Shaheen’s first appearance in domestic first-class cricket in seven years. His last appearance came back in October 2019, when he featured in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy for Northern against Southern Punjab. He took two wickets in the game which ended in a draw.

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According to article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions, "a side is penalised one point for each over short" after time allowances are taken into consideration. Similarly, article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel states that "players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their team fails to bowl within the allotted time, with the maximum penalty capped at 50 per cent of the match fee." 

Thus, Pakistan were docked 11 WTC points, with every player also fined 50 per cent of their match fees.

Latest WTC 2025-27 team rankings after Pakistan docked 11 points

Pakistan have managed only two victories in nine Tests of the ongoing WTC cycle so far, with seven defeats. And following the recent penalty, their points tally has gone down to just five. Notably, they were also docked eight points for slow over-rate against Bangladesh in the Dhaka Test earlier this year, thus taking their total docked points to 19 in the ongoing WTC cycle.

The Babar Azam-led side are rock bottom of the WTC table as a result, with a PCT of 4.63. They have also dropped down to ninth in the ICC men's Test team rankings after being the top-ranked Test side in the world a deccade ago in 2016.  

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I couldn’t help but think of pink salt when I watched the mononym Razaullah script an audacious Test debut against England this week. Arriving almost as a LLM-generated cliche, Razaullah had the blistering pace, the booming movement, the luscious hair, and the boisterous appeals – all of which are as central to the idea of Pakistani cricket as a diminutive No.10 is to Argentine football. When he trapped Joe Root to pick up his first wicket, you could smell the excitement spreading across the Pakistani fandom. 

A day later, Razaullah delivered the most scintillating of knocks, smashing sixes with the same sort of insouciance that Donald Trump has when renaming large bodies of water. Afterwards, when he was asked if he enjoyed his innings (during which he broke two bats!) he replied that the fans were meant to enjoy it instead. Pakistan fans, who had been left reeling after a tour from hell, might have forgotten what enjoyment even meant by now, but Razaullah’s entire match was the sort of respite they had spent a long time waiting for.

Razaullah has equalled Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes in an innings on Test debut 🤯🇵🇰

A remarkable display of hitting 🔥#Cricket #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/PA7bxRYAa7

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 11, 2026

In the aftermath of that display, you could imagine Aaqib Javed leaning back and smiling with contentment. Aaqib was the architect of Pakistan’s Stalinist purge a week earlier, with half the team and all its coaches sent home. No one was spared – not interim captains nor Headingley heroes – and in true totalitarian fashion a couple of players were even investigated by federal agencies. But if you were part of a depressingly large number of fans who felt that those players were deadwood who needed to be replaced by hidden gems, then Razaullah’s performance was all the proof you needed.

However, if you follow Pakistan cricket, then you should obviously know better. 

For starters, if you remove his sensational innings against a checked out team, you would notice that when it came to the main reason he was selected, Razaullah completely betrayed who he was - a young player with barely any first class experience. After that mythmaking over to Joe Root, Razaullah eventually ended up with one of the worst figures for a bowler in England. As much as his batting finally gave Pakistan something to fight with, his bowling was not just expensive but also undercooked, as his speeds consistently fell across the innings before settling in the low 80s that many of his colleagues find themselves stuck in.

Moreover, as exhilarating as Razaullah’s debut was, you don’t need an elephant’s memory to recall previous incantations of this very model, now discarded as wrecked heaps on the sidewalk. After all, if you wanted exciting, handsome pacers with popstar hair who could top 90mph and smash sixes, then Pakistan hasn’t had just one but two high-quality prospects that they have utterly destroyed in the last few years.

Take Shaheen Shah Afridi, once considered amongst the most exciting young players on the planet, armed with a fearsome yorker that evoked the greatest players of Pakistan’s past. Yet despite being only five years older than Razaullah, he already seems to be closer to the end of his career. Pakistan almost ran him into the ground right from his debut, playing him constantly in every format. When he eventually broke down with injury, the PCB didn’t even bother handling his rehab. News later broke of Shaheen staying at a motel in England on his own cost, arranging his own medical treatment. Even after his return, he has oscillated rapidly between either being named captain or being exiled from the squad. And after all this upheaval, not only has his pace mostly vanished, but he’s also struggled to regain the wicked swing that once defined him. 

The other example is of Naseem Shah, who’s just two years older than Razaullah, and who arrived at the scene with the same level of acclaim as Shaheen. At the time, veteran Pakistani journalist Osman Samiuddin penned a letter to him, praying that he wouldn’t fall to the same litany of mismanaged injuries and insane workloads that had destroyed his predecessors. It turned out to be a sadly prescient piece of writing, as within a few years Naseem’s career was predictably blighted by injuries, selection follies and board fallouts. Tellingly, when the board made all its changes to the team last week, no one took his name or Shaheen’s as possible replacements.

Any other team would have looked to ensure that Naseem and Shaheen go on to lead their attack for another decade at least. Instead, Pakistan has cruelly recycled through them and many other promising players, continuously betraying a complete lack of process or foresight. Compare this sort of scandalous neglect with how Cricket Australia wrapped Pat Cummins in wool for much of his early career, or how the BCCI fastidiously restricts Jasprit Bumrah’s playing time. While the best teams treat their fast bowlers like state assets that are carefully managed and protected, the PCB seems to treat them like single-use napkins.

If Aaqib Javed were reading this, he would correctly point out that these two examples are from before his time, and indeed rather than focusing on the clownery emanating from the current board, it is obvious that this sort of mismanagement has been baked into the system for years now. Pakistan hasn’t produced a pacer with 200 wickets this century, but that is also part of a broader malaise – only one bowler of any sort has even played 50 Tests during this time period. Any attempt at laying the blame on the current regime alone should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Given that we are back to salt again, it is instructive to look at the case of Pakistan’s pink salt. In 2019, there had been online campaigns and politicians’ speeches about taking ownership of pink salt and its earning potential. The fury led to media coverage and revamped government plans, but almost a decade later the progress is noticeable but painfully slow. Local exports have increased, but major investments are needed in upskilling the producers, developing business contacts, and upgrading the branding in order to make a mark globally. 

It is a clear reminder that developing such resources requires time, patience, investment and most importantly, a clear vision. Just because you happened upon a salt mine doesn’t mean you’ll immediately start selling at Trader Joe’s.

Similarly, just because Razaullah picked up skipper Joe doesn’t mean that Pakistan is suddenly a quality team once again. It is important to remember that realising the pacer’s potential would require even greater levels of backing and commitment that Pakistan has belatedly brought to its salt mines. The PCB needs to realise that just lucking its way to talent isn’t enough – it has to take the investment needed to polish and realise their true potential. The way forward isn’t via headline-grabbing, shock-inducing selection culls, but rather through a slow, methodical process that values the resources at hand. Otherwise, such hasty, reckless decisions will only end up salting any possible hope.

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Latest ICC women's T20I team rankings after Women’s Asia Cup 2026

India were placed third with 262 rating points ahead of the tournament, and held onto the position while also gaining a point after their title win. Sri Lanka overtook West Indies to go sixth, having gained a point with their run to the final. Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa occupy the first, second, fourth and fifth spots, respectively. 

Pakistan and Bangladesh are placed eighth and tenth with 211 and 196 points, respectively. Thailand remained 12th but gained a point to get to 154, whereas United Arab Emirates stand 15th with 137 points to their name. Hong Kong and Indonesia remained 22nd and 23rd, respectively.

Also read: Wisden’s Women’s Asia Cup 2026 team of the tournament

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India beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final to win the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup. After Smriti Mandhana (59 in 39 balls) and Shafali Verma (68 in 39) put on 129 for the opening wicket in a mere 12.5 overs, Sri Lanka pulled things back to restrict India to 183-5. Sri Lanka were never in the race, and were bowled out for a mere 111 as Shree Charani (4-20) and Deepti Sharma (3-19) shared seven wickets.

After the final, the Sri Lanka team received their runners-up medals from Asian Cricket Coucil Chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads PCB and is the interior minister of Pakistan. Following that, commentator Farveez Maharoof interviewed Chamari Athapaththu, and the broadcasters cut straight to the studio. The Indian team did not accept their trophies from Naqvi, just like their men’s team had not in 2025.

Read: Wisden’s Asia Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament

“Trophy is a controversial thing in the Asia Cup. Our men’s team won the Asia Cup a year and a half ago. And our whole situation, since the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, the entire situation changed after that. So, after that, there was pressure on us from all our country’s citizens that we shouldn’t keep any relations with our neighboring country and not play cricket with them. But our government has a policy that we must play against every country in multinational tournaments,” explained BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on the morning after the final.

“But that doesn’t mean we will follow every condition laid out for us. Our military conflict is still ongoing. One of the main leaders who is working against the interests of our country; we can’t receive the trophy from him. The women’s team has expressed solidarity with the decision taken by the men’s team last year. It doesn’t diminish the performances of our team. We have won all our matches in a one-sided manner. Women’s cricket has been growing so well in India and there’s no bigger evidence of that than this.

“We don’t have any regrets. Our ultimate priority and ambition was not to focus on who would give the trophy. We wanted the Indian team to win and we’ve achieved that.”

Watch: On Indian women's cricket team did not accept the Women's Asia Cup trophy from ACC Chair Mohsin Naqvi, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia says, "Trophy is a controversial thing in the Asia Cup, Our men's team won the Asia Cup a year and a half ago. And our whole situation,… pic.twitter.com/2p5Q6bqS4L

— IANS (@ians_india) September 13, 2026

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M: 5 | 236 runs at 47.2, SR 171.01, HS: 68, 3 fifties | 2 wickets at 31, Eco 5.16, BBI 1/10

Shafali Verma was the star of the Asia Cup, finishing as the top run-getter. She also smashed three fifties in five matches, including one in the final, where she scored 68 off 39. Shafali also rolled her arm and picked up two wickets, while also being economical.

Smriti Mandhana - India

M: 5 | 213 runs at 42.6, SR 165.11, HS: 124, 1 hundred, 1 fifty

Smriti Mandhana was unlucky to not have scored many more runs in the Asia Cup as she was run out thrice in five games. She also slammed the only century of the competition against Hong Kong, and broke multiple world records with it. She thumped 59 off 39 in the final to help India win the tournament.

Smriti Mandhana has evolved from a promising young batter into one of the biggest names in women's cricket, with her numbers making a case for her as a standout all-format batter of this era 🇮🇳

✍️ @swaris16

READ: https://t.co/JYvC84HZH9 pic.twitter.com/3b5PjZ2YAg

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 12, 2026

Chamari Athapaththu - Sri Lanka

M: 5 | 99 runs at 24.75, SR 126.92, HS: 48* | 12 wickets at 7.75, Eco 5.02, BBI 7/5

The Sri Lanka skipper wasn’t at her best with the bat, mustering only 99 runs, but was brilliant with the ball. She picked up 12 wickets at an average of 7.75, including a seven-wicket haul against Indonesia, which also featured a hat-trick, the best-ever T20I bowling figures among Full Members. 

Sobhana Mostary - Bangladesh

M: 4 | 95 runs at 23.75, SR 84.07, HS: 40

Sobhana Mostary marshalled the Bangladesh middle-order well. While her strike rate of 84.07 doesn't paint a great picture, this was a rather low-scoring tournament and she fared better than most, scoring 95 runs at an average of 23.75 in four outings.

Harshitha Samarawickrama - Sri Lanka

M: 5 | 98 runs at 32.66, SR 106.52, HS: 48*

Harshitha Samarawickrama was one of the driving forces behind Sri Lanka's run to the final. She played a crucial 36-run knock in a tense semifinal run-chase against Pakistan. She totalled 98 runs at an average of 32.66 and a strike-rate of 106.52.

A seven-wicket haul including a hat-trick 🫪

Chamari Athapaththu produced a record-breaking spell against Indonesia during the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai 🇱🇰#Cricket #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/i6SXE6TDPY

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 3, 2026

Fatima Sana - Pakistan

M: 4 | 71 runs at 23.66, SR 102.89, HS: 47* | 9 wickets at 9.33, Eco 6.14, BBI 4/38

Along with Athapaththu, Fatima Sana was among the best all-rounders in the tournament. Her best knock came in the semifinal against Sri Lanka, where she scored an unbeaten 47 to propel Pakistan to 130 runs batting first. She also picked up four wickets in the match, but couldn't save her team from getting knocked out.

Deepti Sharma - India

M: 5 | 36 runs at 12, SR 102.85, HS: 13 | 14 wickets at 4.21, Eco 3.84, BBI 3/0

Deepti Sharma finished the Asia Cup as the leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps at an impeccable average of 4.21. Her economy of 3.84 was only second to Shree Charani among bowlers who bowled more than 10 overs in the competition. Deepti also took three wickets in the final, but didn’t have much to do with the bat as the openers did the bulk of the scoring.

Nashra Sandhu - Pakistan

M: 5 | 7 wickets at 7.85, Eco 4.02, BBI 6/7

Nashra Sandhu registered the best-ever T20I bowling figures for Pakistan, men or women, taking six wickets for just seven runs against Hong Kong with her left-arm spin.

Shree Charani - India

M: 5 | 12 wickets at 5.58, Eco 3.65, BBI 4/20

Shree Charani, at times, was literally unplayable, and finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament. She was also the most economical bowler (more than 10 overs bowled). Overall, the left-arm spinner has been superb for India this year and is their highest wicket-taker in 2026 with 39 wickets so far. 

Marufa Akter - Bangladesh

M: 4 | 8 wickets at 9.5, Eco 5.06, BBI 3/21

The Bangladesh speedster was at her best, picking up eight wickets in four matches and drove Bangladesh to the semifinal. She bowled a career-best spell of 3-21 in a close game against Sri Lanka, where Bangladesh went down by four wickets in the last over. 

Nandani Sharma - India

M: 5 | 7 wickets at 9.28, Eco 4.64, BBI 3/18

The young quick, who made her India debut earlier this year, struck consistently with the new ball. She picked up seven wickets in five matches at an average of 9.28 and kept things tight, especially in the powerplay.

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He stitched 274 with Mohammad Suleman (115) for the fourth wicket and then added 118 with Mohammad Shayan (34) for the sixth wicket to help Kingsmen declare on 565-7.

Salman has had the most chaotic month of his career. Last month, he led Pakistan in the first Test against England at Headingley in Babar Azam’s absence. Pakistan lost by an innings and 103 runs. Agha was dropped from the team for the second Test at Lord’s, which Pakistan lost by 194 runs. 

Triple century for Salman Ali Agha playing for Kingsmen in the President’s Cup final 💯 pic.twitter.com/4GLiZ8HbiA

— Usman (@jamilmusman_) September 13, 2026

In a massive knee-jerk reaction to the second defeat, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent Agha, along with six others, back home in controversial circumstances. Changes to the squad and subsequently to the playing XI didn’t change Pakistan’s fortunes, as they lost the third Test too by eight wickets to get whitewashed in the three-match series against England.

On his return to Pakistan, 32-year-old Agha went straight to domestic cricket and batted for 472 minutes to bring up his maiden triple ton in first-class cricket. Interestingly, he had never scored even a double century before, his best being 169. 

As for the match, Markhor IT Solutions responded strongly on the back of opener Mohammad Farooq’s century. He remained not out on 107 off just 95 deliveries with 11 fours and five sixes, with his team ending Day two at 179-3 after 31 overs, still trailing by 386 runs.

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He did so in the U19 Asia Cup in 2024 in a One-Day game in Sharjah. Sooryavanshi scored 23 runs with three fours and a six before getting out to Charlie in the eighth over of the innings.

Kendel looked very confident of getting out the Indian opener as he said, “Well, our young 17-year-old left-arm spinner has actually got him out before in an Asia Cup at Under-19 level, so we’ve got him sorted. Don’t worry.”

Kendel was speaking about Charlie Hara-Hinze, who had dismissed Sooryavanshi for a run-a-ball 23 when the U19 sides had met in Sharjah in 2024.

The Asian Games will be under progress when India and Japan will face off on September 22. Kendel expects a lot of fans at the stadium. The organisers are ramping up preparations.

“I believe they’re trying to get some temporary stands in there at the moment,” said Kendel. “We do have two stands that sit there normally, and we can fit around 500 people in the ground. But I understand we’re expecting around 2,000 to 3,000 for this match.

“Obviously, these Indian players are A-list celebrities, and I think we’ll have plenty of supporters – Indian supporters of cricket – coming from Tokyo and everywhere around the country. So there’s going to be plenty of security and probably logistical measures that we haven’t experienced in Japan before. But, yeah, I mean, I don’t know what to expect. Even hearing you talk about India playing a cricket match against Japan sounds surreal. I can’t wait.”

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A 49-run stand for the seventh wicket with Beyers Swanepoel followed before Tristan Luus snared Ferreira. However, the damage was done by then as the Titans eventually finished on 421 runs in their first innings.

Ferreira, 28, is best known for his exploits down the order in T20 cricket, having played 174 matches so far in the format. He strikes at 164 in all T20s for his 3,106 runs while also picking 33 wickets.

On the other hand, this is only his 16th first-class match despite him debuting in 2021. In the longest format, he has scored 1,091 runs at 49.59 with four centuries and as many fifties. Notably, his 163 against the Titans is his career-best first-class score. He has also picked 30 wickets at 28.16 with a five-for. Having started the season on a high, Ferreira would hope to continue in the same vein.

Coming back to the match, the Titans took a massive lead of 264 in the first innings, having skittled the Dolphins for just 157 runs. The Dolphins batters struggled a second time in the match to get folded for just 204 as the Titans won the game by an innings and 60 runs. Apart from Ferreira, Jansen picked up seven wickets in the game and scored 37 runs.

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While the series kicks off on Tuesday, September 15, the second and third ODIs are scheduled for September 18, Friday, and September 20, Sunday.

Zimbabwe vs Australia ODIs: Full Schedule

ZIM vs AUS ODIs: Full Squads

Zimbabwe

Yet to be announced

Australia

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa.

Zimbabwe vs Australia ODIs: Team News

Australia have included Davies and Peake in their squad, and bolstered their pace attack by including Johnson and Stanlake. Johnson last played an ODI in early 2025, while Stanlake made his first international appearance in seven years on the tour of Pakistan earlier this year. 

Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from the ODI squad. With Pat Cummins missing this series, Marsh will lead Australia in this series. Mitchell Starc has also been rested for the Zimbabwe tour while Hazlewood has been included.

Zimbabwe are yet to announce their squad, but they are expected to be led by fast bowler Richard Ngarava. They had won their previous ODI series, against Bangladesh in July this yearl, under his captaincy.

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The first two matches of the series will get underway at 6:30pm local time (11pm IST) while the last game will start at 2:30pm local time (7pm IST).

England vs Sri Lanka T20Is: Full Schedule

ENG vs SL T20Is: Full Squads

England

Harry Brook (c), Ben Duckett, James Coles, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Jordan Cox, Aneurin Donald, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Saqib Mahmood, Josh Tongue, Adil Rashid

Sri Lanka

Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Tharindu Ratnayake, Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera.

England vs Sri Lanka T20Is: Team News

Sri Lanka faced a huge blow earlier this month when skipper Kusal Mendis and fast bowler Binura Fernando were ruled out of the series due to hamstring and back injuries respectively. Asalanka will lead them, while Rathnayake and Madushanka have replaced the two injured players. 

Meanwhile, England will also miss Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran due to different injuries. Donald and Crocombe are the new faces picked in their squad. Jamie Overton returns after missing the T20I series vs India, while Atkinson and Duckett have been recalled. Rehan Ahmed and Luke Wood have been left out of the T20I squad.

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Some journalists had already wandered towards the snacks corner, hoping to gorge on the delicacies as they anticipated an early end. One by one, though, when India’s innings began, they scampered back to their seats as Mandhana began to fly. She raced to 50 off 23, tearing into the Australian attack as India reached 121-2 in 12 overs. Less than five overs later, she had reached her hundred, smashing her own record for the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian woman by 20 balls, and the fastest by any Indian, breaking Virat Kohli’s 12-year record.

She finished with 125 off 63, and India were still in the chase when she departed. They eventually fell 43 runs short, but Mandhana’s innings remained the lasting image of the day. It was not just another hundred, or another record. It was a glimpse of the distance she had travelled as the talented young batter from Sangli. Here was Mandhana in full flight: attacking Australia, changing the tenor of a chase almost single-handedly and making 413 feel, however briefly, within India’s reach.

It was just one glimpse of a steady growth that has taken place across formats. The timing and elegance that defined her when she first made waves are still very much a part of her game, but they now sit alongside greater skills, more intent and an ability to adapt according to different conditions.

From her ODI debut in 2013 to 2017, Mandhana averaged 30.09 at a strike rate of 76.66, with two hundreds. Between 2018 and 2024, those numbers rose to 53.10 at 88.43, with seven hundreds. Since the start of 2025, she has averaged 58.04 at an average of 107.64, with five hundreds, highlighting her steady improvement.

What is interesting is how the scoring has changed. The strike rate has climbed with her average rather than at its expense, and big scores have become far more frequent. Her knock in Delhi was the clearest example of a player adding new dimensions to her batting over the years.

In T20Is, where the game itself has changed rapidly during Mandhana's career, the transformation has been equally impressive. In the first four years of her career, she averaged 17.66 at a strike rate of 96.58, hitting just three sixes across 27 innings. During 2018-24, she had become a far more reliable T20 batter, averaging 32.08 at 127.75. Since last year, her strike rate has jumped to 140.21, with her average runs in boundaries rising from 7.9 per innings to 19.5 and then 23.9 since January 2025. 

Mandhana has continued her form in Tests, despite the limited number of games for women cricketers. Since January 2023 (the cut-off has been pushed back to account for the fewer matches played), the left-hander has averaged 57.87, with the highlight being her 149 against South Africa in June 2024. With three more fifties in this period at a strike rate of 74.43, she has shown that even while excelling in the faster-paced formats, she still has the technique and the patience required for the red-ball game.

Mandhana has scored 2,539 runs across formats, including seven hundreds from January 2025. Most of those runs have come in ODIs, where she made 1,362 runs, the most by a woman in a calendar year. Her T20I batting has also accelerated: Mandhana has scored at 14 points above her career strike rate since January 2025, with both of her hundreds coming in this period. 

Her frequency of reaching three figures has also risen: she scored 11 international hundreds in her first 249 matches, compared to seven in her last 54; a hundred in 13 per cent of her matches since January 2025, against 4.4 per cent previously. 

Mandhana has also excelled in big moments, playing a major part in India's ODI World Cup triumph last year, with her 434 runs at 54.25 being the second-highest tally in the tournament. Her hundred came in a crucial match against New Zealand, while she also made 80 against Australia and 88 against England. The T20 World Cup this year, however, was less productive: she averaged 31.11 at a strike rate of 124.44, although her three fifties included a 44-ball 68 against Pakistan. 

Those performances are exceptional on their own, but how good has she been when compared to her peers?

Where does Mandhana rank in the best all-format batter conversation?

To see where Mandhana stands among the leading batters of her generation, the comparison can first be narrowed using the two formats with the largest sample sizes. Since January 2025, 18 Full-Member batters have scored at least 500 runs in women's ODIs while averaging 45 or more. Mandhana has scored 1,451 runs at 58.04, with Laura Wolvaardt next on 1,392 at 55.68. Raising the average to 50 leaves ten batters, and only four of them have also struck at more than 100: Alyssa Healy (115.11), Ash Gardner (113.41), Mandhana (107.64) and Phoebe Litchfield (106.17). It is a particularly small group of players who have been able to maintain a level of consistency with higher aggression.

In T20Is, there are eight batters with at least 300 runs and a strike rate of 140 or more since the start of last year. Mandhana has made two T20I hundreds in this period, one of only three batters to do so, alongside Amelia Kerr and Wolvaardt, who do not make the cut with strike rates below 140. 

The Test comparison is harder to make over the same period, with so few matches having been played. Rather than allowing such a small sample to decide the all-format argument, the Test window has been extended back to 2023 to give the format enough weight in the comparison.

Even then, the numbers need to be read with some caution. Just 63 cricketers have played a women's Test in the last three-and-a-half years, and the format has largely been restricted to the Big Three, with India, Australia and England each playing five Tests in that period. Among batters with more than 200 runs, three average above 50: Annabel Sutherland (116.16), Mandhana (57.87) and Beth Mooney (56.28). 

Across the benchmarks used by us, Mandhana and Mooney are the only two batters who find a name in all three formats. While it does not make them the runaway leaders in the game, what separates the duo is their ODI consistency, a more forceful T20I game, and strong returns in the limited Tests available compared to others. How significantly they have evolved with the game also stands out.

Overall, Mandhana's importance to India goes beyond just numbers. With Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj gone, Indian women's cricket needed a new face to carry its story, and Mandhana has grown into that role with ease. She is now a superstar of the game, much-loved in Bengaluru and far beyond, at times even moving to tears at the amount of adulation.

Alongside all of it is the expectation that comes with being the player India can bank on, a responsibility that only grows as more pressure, including the possibility of captaincy, falls on her shoulders. And, more often than not, she has stood tall just as she did in Delhi last year, forever making the impossible look within reach.

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Of the two sides' last 10 T20I face-offs, India have managed nine victories. However, their only loss came in the Asia Cup final in 2024, and Sri Lanka will have fond memories of the game. 

India booked a berth in the 2026 final on the back of a 40-run victory against Bangladesh. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, found themselves at 33-4, chasing 131 against Pakistan, before Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kaveesha Dilhari together added 67 for the fifth wicket, eventually helping them to a final berth. 

India have made the final of the tournament in each of its six editions, while Sri Lanka have featured in every final since 2022. 

Also read: WTC 2025-27 points table: Updated World Test Championship standings after England whitewash Pakistan

Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in India? 

Fans in India can watch live telecast of the Asia Cup final on the Sony Sports Network. Moreover, live streaming for the same will be available on Sony LIV. 

Where to watch in the UK? 

Fans in the UK will be able to enjoy live action from India vs Sri Lanka live on Sony Max. 

Where to watch in Sri Lanka?

The final will be teleast live on Dialog TV in Sri Lanka on Sony Sports 1 and Sony Sports 1 HD. Fans can also live stream the match on Dialog Play.

Where to watch in Pakistan?

The India vs Sri Lanka final will be telecast live on PTV Sports in Pakistan.

Where to watch in the USA & Canada?

Fans across the USA and Canada will be able to enjoy live action from the Asia Cup final on Willow TV.

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The two teams have locked horns on nine occasions in the shortest format, with India claiming victory in seven of those games, while one has finished in a tie and one without result. India got the better of Afghanistan by 47 runs in their most recent T20I fixture, which was in the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup in June 2024. 

Also read: AFG vs IND T20Is: Full squads, team news, schedule and all you need to know for Afghanistan vs India

Afghanistan vs India T20Is 2026, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in India?

Sony Sports Network are the official broadcasters for the series. Fans in India can also catch live streaming of all three games on the FanCode app and website. 

Where to watch in Afghanistan?

All the three T20Is will be televised on the Ariana Television Network across Afghanistan. To add to that, fans can watch the live stream on MY e& APP.

Where to watch in Pakistan?

The three-match T20I series will be televised on A Sports TV, while live streaming will be available on Tamasha. 

Where to watch in Bangladesh? 

Tapmad are the official live-streaming partner for the series for fans in Bangladesh. 

Where to watch in England?

Fans across the UK can catch all the action live on JioHotstar UK, who have bagged the live streaming and television rights for the series. 

𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃𝐖𝐈𝐃𝐄! 📺📱

Presenting the official broadcast and digital streaming partners for the Valvoline Presents, e& Friendship Cup – Afghanistan vs India T20I Series, powered by SuperCola. 👏🔥

Don’t miss a moment of the… pic.twitter.com/cz2usNDMtN

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 12, 2026

Where to watch in the Middle-East North Africa and South-East Asia?

Cricbuzz have been confirmed as the TV and live-streaming partner for the Middle-East, North Africa and South-East Asia regions. 

Where to watch in North America? 

Fans across North America will be able to enjoy the action on Willow TV. 

Where to watch in Australia? 

Fox Sports have been confirmed as the TV and digital partners for the three-match T20I series. 

Where to watch in Europe, Africa and rest of the world?

Fans in Europe, Africa and the rest of the word can watch the action on Sports Central YouTube. 

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Pakistan couldn't get past the 200-run mark for the fifth time this series in the first innings at Edgbaston, getting bowled out for 133 inside two sessions. They changed that in the second innings, however, scoring 449, riding on fifties from Azan Awais, Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Razaullah, the fast-bowling debutant who stole the show with his lower-order hitting.

England had batted Pakistan out of the game with a strong showing in the first innings, taking a 320-run lead as five of their batters scored half-centuries. Handed 130 to win the match, they endured a tough start with Mohammad Abbas sending openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay back in the first over. But Joe Root and Jordan Cox both scored respective fifties after missing out in the first innings to see England through.

Updated WTC 2025-27 points table after England vs Pakistan 3rd Test

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Stokes, who retired from international cricket after the New Zealand Test series, was filmed exiting a nightclub as his Durham teammate Brydon Carse was being handcuffed by the police in August. He was involved in another episode at a nightclub in Bristol this June along with Gus Atkinson, and had to miss The Oval Test against New Zealand after ECB’s disciplinary probe. 

Durham return to Division One in style

Durham had suffered relegation to Division Two in 2025 after managing just two wins in 14 games in the top tier. But they turned the tables in 2026, going unbeaten in 12 matches of the ongoing Division Two season to seal the top spot with 230 points, 55 clear of the second-placed Northamptonshire, with two games left to play.

The 93-run win over Middlesex sealed their promotion. Brydon Carse starred with a nine-wicket match haul in the game, while Ben McKinney’s 184 also steered them towards victory.

The county are currently on a six-match winning streak, having beaten Derbyshire and Northamptonshire twice each, while getting the better of Gloucestershire and Middlesex once during the run. 

Durham will face Worcestershire and Lancashire in their two remaining fixtures, which are scheduled to start on September 15 and 24, respectively.

Image credits: Ben Stokes/Instagram

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Opening the batting alongside Tom Banton with 118 to chase, Donald wreaked havoc, taking down the Sri Lanka bowling attack with three fours and as many sixes in his knock. The openers added 59 runs off just 3.2 overs, when Donald was dismissed by Dunith Wellalage.

Banton stayed unbeaten on 56 off 24 deliveries, with seven fours and three sixes, while skipper Will Jacks scored 30* off 12, hitting one four and three maximums, to seal the chase in 7.2 overs with 76 balls and nine wickets to spare.

Congratulations Nye! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🦁

An impressive England Lions debut last night for Nye who smashed 31 off just 8 balls!#WeAreDerbyshire pic.twitter.com/gK29iZjB6k

— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) September 12, 2026

In 112 T20s so far, Donald has scored 2454 runs at a strike-rate of 172.21, with 18 half-centuries. In The Hundred earlier in the summer, he scored 137 runs at a strike-rate of 217.46.

As far as the tour match is concerned, Sri Lanka endured a horror start and were reduced to 19-4 inside three overs. Luke Wood claimed three out of the first four wickets, eventually ending with figures of 4-27 in 3.4 overs. Pathum Nissanka (4) and Kamil Mishara (5) were dismissed in the first and second overs by Wood and Sonny Baker, respectively, before Lahiru Udara (6) and Pavan Rathnayake (0) walked back on successive deliveries from Wood in the third.

Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis put together 26 for the fifth wicket, before the former was sent back by Will Jacks. Dunith Wellalage followed him on the last ball of the same over as Sri Lanka were reduced to 49-6 at the end of the powerplay. 

Skipper Kamindu Mendis and Dushmantha Chameera were both sent back on the first two deliveries of the 11th over, respectively, by Jafer Chohan, further reducing Sri Lanka to 73-8. After Eshan Malinga was trapped in front by Baker, Tharindu Ratnayake and Nuwan Thushara added 39 for the last wicket, which was the highest partnership of the innings.

Aneurin Donald, who has been handed his maiden England call-up for the Sri Lanka T20Is, was at his destructive best in the warm-up game against the visitors 💪 pic.twitter.com/7TvRCAGzcR

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 12, 2026

Ratnayake was the last wicket to fall, dismissed by Wood in the 17th over for a well-made 37-ball 48, with the visitors finishing at 117. Apart from Wood’s four-wicket haul, Baker, Jacks and Chohan took two wickets each.

The two teams will lock horns in the second tour game on September 13, before Sri Lanka face England in the first T20I of the three-match series on September 15 in Southampton. The second and third T20Is are scheduled for September 17 and 19.

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The debutant speedster cleared the ropes for the first time off Josh Tongue, hitting one over square-leg to wipe off Pakistan’s deficit. He then took Gus Atkinson to the cleaners with three sixes in the an over. After England opted for the new ball, Razaullah sent Jofra Archer for two sixes in one over, the first of which brought up his fifty off 43 deliveries and the second took Pakistan to the 400-run mark, and extended their lead to 80. 

Razaullah continued his assault with a monstrous six each in 90th and 91st overs, taking Pakistan's lead and the ninth-wicket partnership, both past the 100-run mark. Just when 10 minutes were left in the day’s play, Abbas holed out to backward point. Razaullah then hit his ninth six of the innings, taking down Dan Lawrence, but was stumped on the fourth delivery of the over while stepping out for another big one, thus bringing an end to Pakistan’s fightback for 449 and setting England 130 to win. 

Earlier in the game, the visitors were bundled out for a 133 in the first innings with Tongue picking up four. England replied with 453, as Emilio Gay (60), Harry Brook (75), Dan Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Ollie Robinson (50) all registered fifties. Razaullah was the pick of the bowlers with a four-wicket haul on debut, while also consistently clocking 140kph with the ball. 

Azan Awais (59), Shaan Masood (95) and Babar Azam (76) showed some resistance in the second innings, before Razaullah and Abbas ensured England had to bat again in the Test.

Razaullah has equalled Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes in an innings on Test debut 🤯🇵🇰

A remarkable display of hitting 🔥#Cricket #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/PA7bxRYAa7

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 11, 2026

Most sixes on Test debut: Razaullah joins Tim Southee at the top of the list

Razaullah’s entertaining innings of 81 comprised nine sixes, which took him on level with Tim Southee for the most sixes hit in an innings on Test debut. Southee held the record since 2008, when he smashed nine sixes against England in Napier in his debut Test. 

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However, their chase went pear-shaped quickly, and at the end of day three, they were 61-5. Stone had two wickets to his name going into the final day, but did the bulk of his work the following morning. Hampshire had managed just seven before he removed Ben Mayes and Eddie Jack in the same over, and sent Kyle Abbott back in his next. That gave Stone five-for – his fourth of the season – but a stoic partnership between Lumsden and Scott Currie halted Nottinghamshire's charge. Lumsden clung on valiently for 72 deliveries, scoring 21 runs, before he was caught brilliantly by sub fielder Ben Martindale to give Stone 6-28, incidentally his best figures of the season.

Stone has been Nottinghamshire's standout bowler in their title defence, having played nine games with an average of 19.70. In the four rounds of action Nottinghamshire have contested since the resumption of the Championship last month, Stone has taken 25 wickets, including three five-fors and a 10-wicket-haul.

Olly Stone last played for England in the 2024 summer

Nevertheless, he continues to be overlooked for England selection. Stone last played a Test match at the end of the 2024 summer, and hasn't been named in any England squads since. While Matt Fisher, Sam Cook, and Sonny Baker have been England's back-up pack in their series' against New Zealand and Pakistan, Stone has made a case for a recall. 

He has had frequent injury problems which have stunted his Test career. After making his debut against Ireland in 2019, he missed that summer's Ashes with a back stress fracture, and suffered recurrences of that injury over the next two summers. He played one Test in India in 2021 and one of England's home Tests against New Zealand than summer until injury struck again. 

He made a return to the Test side in 2024 against Sri Lanka, taking seven wickets in two Tests, but had to fly home when selected for their following series in Pakistan to get married, having organised his nuptials without expecting to be picked for that series. A knee injury struck in early 2025 required surgery, and ruled him out of the summer of Test cricket, rendering him unlikely to make the cut for the winter Ashes.

Now, however, his impressive Championship returns have put him in prime position for another comeback.

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Beyond the human story, Bangar’s case exposes the inconsistencies in transgender participation policies across cricket’s national governing bodies.

“I think there should be thorough assessments, there should be proper teams set up with scientists who study this issue to a level which Cricket Australia has,” Bangar told Wisden’s The Scoop.

“It’s been happening all over the world and since the BCCI has stayed quiet about this, it’s about time their policies are put in place. In their rule book, there’s no such thing as a trans woman or a trans man, are allowed to play and not allowed to play. It’s a grey area, so that’s what we could start off with.”

The BCCI currently has no publicly established policy governing transgender participation in women’s domestic cricket. When Bangar wrote to the board seeking clarity on her position as a trans woman, she says she received no response.

That contrasts sharply with Cricket Australia, a country in which Bangar has never played domestic cricket, but where she is now eligible to participate in Premier Cricket competitions. CA’s policy on the inclusion of transgender players in elite cricket takes a case-by-case approach. It states that “players will be eligible to participate in the category of elite cricket consistent with their gender identity, whether or not this accords with the sex they were assigned at birth.”

This is subject to a determination from an expert panel, who will consider, among other factors, levels of testosterone in a player’s serum during the preceding 12 month period, as well as the results of any pre or post transition monitoring and supporting documentation provided by the player relevant to strength, stamina or physique.

In Bangar’s case, she provided CA with an Athlete Testing Report from research she participated in at Manchester Metropolitan University, examining the effects of four weeks of sprint interval training on transgender health.

“I’ve always stood for case-by-case inclusion because, again, I believe in fairness and dignity of women’s sport, and I wouldn’t want to just get into that knowing I have an unfair advantage,” Bangar said. “I’ve got scientific backing in my case. This isn’t just coming from personal opinions or feelings.”

But the use of research studies as evidence in individual eligibility cases is disputed. Alun Williams, professor of sport and exercise genomics at Manchester Metropolitan University, who wasn’t involved in the specific programme Bangar participated in, told Wisden.com that these reports are “certainly not intended for wider use”.

“If I was a governing body and trying to take this seriously and intending to base decisions on measurements, then to be honest, I wouldn't take any other organisation's word for it in terms of those measurements being valid,” he says .

For governing bodies who base their gender eligibility criteria on a case-by-case basis, they must consider two things. First, whether trans athletes who have undergone gender affirming treatment retain inherent physical advantages over cis women. And second, whether any retained physical advantages are ‘unfair’.

ALSO READ: 'How can we ever trust them again?' - The far-reaching effects of the ECB's transgender ban

Cricket Australia, who declined to comment publicly on the policy, place a high importance on testosterone levels, requiring levels below 10 nmol/L continuously for at least 12 months before submitting an application. But testosterone itself is a disputed measure of whether a trans woman retains physical advantages associated with male puberty.

“Typical male values are above 10, maybe 10-30 as a typical male range,” Williams said. “Whereas typical female values are lower than that. I haven’t got them in front of me, but maybe 0.5 to 2.5 or something of that order. So lowering to less than 10 is probably a lowering of the person you’re referring to, but it still sounds like it’s significantly above the typical female range.

“I think the more important point is actually not what the levels are when someone changes them through medication – gender affirming hormone treatment. Doing that after puberty is too late for addressing the physical performance differences between men and women… Assuming that somebody goes through puberty as a male before taking any kind of hormonal treatment, then the beneficial effect for physical performance of going through puberty as a male exists.”

Cricket occupies a complicated position when it comes to gender eligibility criteria. In contact, strength-based sports like rugby and boxing, the physical performance question is one of safety. As a primarily skill-based sport, cricket is different.

Men and women regularly play alongside each other at recreational level, showing that physical differences are not salient at baseline when taking individual skill into account. At elite level, the safety question becomes whether a bowler who has undergone a male puberty can bowl significantly faster than a cis woman, and therefore pose a threat to a batter’s safety. The competitive advantage question is harder to measure. Governing bodies must determine whether the physical advantages retained after hormonal treatment are so vast that they outweigh the importance of skill and the principle of inclusion.

“Personally, I think the strongest argument is not to try to argue that the difference in size and strength doesn't matter, in many sports it does,” Williams said. “I think the best argument has to be that despite those physical differences that exist before testosterone suppression and still exist to some extent after, it's just the right thing to do. If people think that inclusion and identity of people is really important, then they need to make that argument.”

The complexity of the science should not obscure the right trans athletes have to clarity. The ICC has a blanket ban on any player who has undergone male puberty competing in international women’s cricket. But it leaves eligibility for domestic professional and grassroots cricket to individual national governing bodies.

ALSO READ: Trans women are not a threat to the integrity of women’s international cricket

Following a UK Supreme Court ruling last year, the ECB announced an immediate ban on transgender women participating in women’s and girls’ cricket. The BCCI has no publicly available policy governing transgender participation in domestic cricket, and did not respond when approached for comment. Neither does Cricket South Africa, although the South African government’s Women in Sports Policy Framework urges sporting bodies to “consider a human rights agenda and fair and equitable participation at all levels in recognition of scientific evidence regarding transgender athletes.”

Cricket Australia is therefore an outlier, not only in allowing a pathway for trans women to compete in elite domestic cricket, but in having a detailed policy governing how those cases are assessed at all.

It’s significant in Bangar’s case, that she has strong connections at the heart of Indian cricket, but will pursue her ambitions of professional cricket in Australia, a country in which she has not previously played in domestic competitions. Of any Indian trans woman seeking clarity on where they can play their cricket, she’s probably the best placed to seek answers.

Importantly, Bangar has not yet been cleared to play in the WBBL, which could come in March next year, and after that assessment she will have to make her way through the Australian domestic system like any other athlete. She doesn’t represent a wave of trans players queuing up to enter the women’s game, but her case exposes the narrow and ever closing avenues available to trans cricketers. Right now, for any trans women seeking to play elite cricket, Australia is their only option.

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Chasing 248 runs for a win on the final day, Lancashire resumed their innings at 120-6, needing another 128 for a win. However, their innings lasted only 22 more balls, as James Langridge picked up three wickets, ending with figures of 5-51.

THE WINNING MOMENTS!

And a first @CountyChamp five wicket haul for JT Langridge!#BecomeGlorious pic.twitter.com/1qbRbhlfDi

— Gloucestershire Cricket (@Gloscricket) September 11, 2026

George Balderson was the first to fall in the day, before Noman Ali and Mitchell Stanley departed. Rocky Flintoff, who top-scored with 65, the only batter to cross 25 in an innings where eight others made single-digit scores, was the last batter to fall as Lancashire folded for 142.

It was Langridge's debut five-for in professional cricket. He made his debut against Durham last week, picking up 3-89. In 11 List A games, he has 13 scalps with best figures of 3-63. 

Earlier, Gloucestershire made 212 in their first innings, led by Daaryoush Ahmed’s 120-ball 51. Balderson had picked up four wickets. In reply, Lancashire were bowled out for 134, with Will Williams picking up 6-24. They set themselves a steep target after the opponents made 169 in the second innings.

India’s Sai Kishore picked up three wickets in the second innings, the only innings he bowled in the game. Lancashire's last win in the Championship was in April, incidentally against Gloucestershire.

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However, his opportunities to play first team cricket for Surrey over the last five years have been limited. Going into this season, he had only played in the County Championship for Surrey three times, and his only two appearances in the T20 Blast came in 2023. He was not required to bat on either occasion. Most of his Surrey career has been in the One Day Cup, in which he has played 36 games since 2022, and averages 35.12.

Josh Blake will leave Surrey at the end of the season to join another county on a multi-year contract.

Blake signed his first professional contract in 2022 after spending four years working as a community coach for the Surrey Cricket Foundation.

🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/rcdDjsIREd

— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 10, 2026

While Blake’s departure from the club might have barely registered a couple of months ago, the timing of the announcement has struck a chord. Blake starred against Yorkshire last week, playing in the Championship side in the midst of an injury and England-caused availability crisis – none of Dan Lawrence, Sam Curran, Jamie Smith, or Will Jacks were available to play in the fixture. With Surrey staring down slipping into the relegation zone, having been bowled out for 83 in the first innings, Blake hit a determined unbeaten 43 in the second as Surrey chased down 185 with one wicket remaining.

After announcing this morning that Blake had signed a mulit-year deal with another county, reportedly Leicestershire, Surrey subbed Blake out of their side to bring in Ollie Pope for their ongoing match against Sussex. Pope had been unavailable to play on day one, having spent the morning at Edgbaston before being released from England’s Test squad.

The timing of the announcement appears odd. Off the back of a starring role in their Yorkshire win, a homegrown talent, with a compelling story of fighting his way back onto the club’s books, was booted out of the playing XI after announcing he was leaving to play first team cricket elsewhere. Incidentally, Pope was bowled by Tom Haines for two as Surrey slipped to 47-3 in their first innings.

Equally, it fits into a wider perception of Surrey prioritising poaching big talent from other counties, sometimes at the expense of homegrown players. Surrey won the race earlier this summer to secure rising England talent Henry Crocombe from Sussex, who couldn’t afford to keep him. Only one of Surrey’s frontline bowlers in their attack at Hove today came through their pathway systems. Their two spinners, Mahipal Lomror and Rahul Chahar, have been brought in from India for the back end of the season.

Nevertheless there is a certain unfairness in pinning Blake’s departure as an example of Surrey not valuing their own. Surrey’s top four are all homegrown, and bringing in players from elsewhere also has a basis in the volume of players they lose to England during the summer. Of the two options to drop out of the XI to facilitate Pope today, the other was Adam Thomas, another homegrown talent.

At 28, Blake spied a better opportunity elsewhere, at a county Surrey are currently competing with to stay in Division One. At Leicestershire, Blake will likely have more options to keep, and will get more opportunities to play first XI cricket away from Surrey’s stacked card.

For Blake’s career, the move makes perfect sense, even if the timing is slightly jarring.

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Coming fresh off a nine-wicket match haul against Durham, Chahal continued his sublime form against Worcestershire with a four-for in the second innings, keeping Northants’ promotion hopes alive. The leg-spinner also picked up a wicket in the first innings to finish with five in the game. 

Worcestershire began their second innings with an 89-run deficit, and were soon put to test by Harry Conway, who sent the top three of Daniel Lategun, Jake Libby and Rehaan Edavalath back with just 34 on the board. Adam Hose and skipper Brett D’Oliveira together added 54 for the fourth wicket but Luke Procter sent the former back for 18. Ben Sanderson then dismissed Henry Cullen, reducing Worcestershire to 112-5, with a lead of a just 23. 

Chahal was the fifth bowler to be introduced into the attack, and he trapped Matthew Waite with a near-yorker before taking down a well-set D’Oliveira for 64. Procter got rid of Ben Allison, reducing Worcestershire to 177-8. The leg-spinner then removed Usama Mir, who was caught at silly mid-off trying to slog a leg-stump delivery, before trapping Adam Finch leg before in the same over to bowl Worcs out and set Northants 94 runs to win.

The visitors needed a little over 25 overs to chase down the total at the County Ground in Worcester, getting there with six wickets to spare. George Bartlett (19*) and James Sales (2*) took them over the line after Usama Mir claimed three wickets. 

Yuzi doing the business in the second innings 💥 pic.twitter.com/Xkp1aeUwUl

— Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) September 10, 2026

Earlier in the clash, Worcestershire scored 200 in the first innings on the back of fifties from Jake Libby (55) and Henry Cullen (64), with Procter claiming his fifth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Northamptonshire responded with 289 after a composed 110 from Saif Zaib. 

As far as the points table is concerned, Northamptonshire stand second in Division Two with 175 points after the win, just two ahead of third-placed Kent, who are in the middle of their fixture against Derbyshire. Worcestershire stand fifth with 133 points, with two games left to play in the season.

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However, none of the England players contracted to those four sides were available for this round of fixtures. Maia Bouchier and Freya Kemp were made available to Hampshire as they attempt to chase down automatic qualification to the final, and Lauren Filer was made available for Durham – although they had played an extra game, so didn’t actually feature in this round.

Of the other 10 England contracted players who have played international cricket this summer – excluding the now-retired Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont – four are carrying injuries, and the other six were rested from county action to manage their workloads.

When she took up the job as England head coach last summer, Charlotte Edwards pledged that, under her, players would play more county cricket. At the start of the summer, the T20 World Cup group were taken away from their counties for a series of intra-squad training camps, and a camp with the British Army. Between that and players now being rested at the tail-end of the season, that resolution seems to have been shortlived.

Workload management is a key part of making sure players maintain their fitness and go into major periods of high-intensity cricket fresh and at the peak of their powers. However, England will not play another international match for six months. While some of those rested players will play WBBL, that competition doesn’t start until the end of October. With no overlap between franchise cricket and the domestic summer, the WBBL should have no bearing on whether players represent their counties six weeks before heading south for the winter.

Managing players' workloads also comes into play after busy periods of cricket. England women have had a high intensity summer compared to their last few, with two bilateral series before the T20 World Cup, as well as the Test match against India four days after the final, and The Hundred taking up all of August.

Nevertheless, three of the six non-injured players kept out of county action this week were rested from the recent ODI series against Ireland. They include Amy Jones, whose place as keeper in England’s XI is under threat from Alice Capsey’s newly minted gloves. Jones last played a game of professional cricket almost a month ago, and getting in a couple of big innings before the winter would likely boost her chances of retaining her position.

Equally, it’s worth examining what ‘high-intensity’ periods actually look like. Unlike the men’s schedule, there is no multi-day competition for women, meaning that at highest intensity, a female bowler will send down 10 overs in a match.

This summer, Sophie Ecclestone has played four 50-over matches, two for England and two for Lancashire. Her T20 workload has been higher, mostly because of the T20 World Cup, totaling 19 matches over a two month period. Taking into account the Test match at Lord’s, which lasted one session into its fourth day, Ecclestone has had 27 playing days this summer, with 151 days having passed since she played her first match of the season in April. That’s one game every five and half days, far from a high-intensity workload.

There’s also a glaring contrast between the availability of England women players and their male counterparts. Having joined up with the Test squad at Edgbaston, every player left out of the XI – apart from Sonny Baker who will join the Lions squad tomorrow – was released back to their counties for the ongoing County Championship round. Shoaib Bashir was bowling by the end of the day having made the short trip up to Derby.

Last year at women’s T20 Blast finals day, neither Nat Sciver-Brunt or Amy Jones featured for The Blaze, after England finished their international summer five days before the biggest day on the women’s county calendar. Blaze captain, Kistie Gordon, emphasised that it was “the player’s choice” in her press conference following her side’s loss in the semi-final. Ten minutes later, the ECB issued a statement clarifying that both players had been rested to manage schedules and workloads.

Besides commitment to county cricket, there’s a performance interest that England players feature for their domestic sides as much as possible. Not only do England players beef up the quality of the county competition, but the varying quality of international teams they play makes county cricket all the more important in player development terms.

Speaking on Wisden Women’s Cricket Weekly podcast, Lauren Winfield-Hill emphasised this particular point: “If you look at the standard of the domestic game and you get all the best players available, it’s a higher standard than international cricket against some of those lesser teams.”

Alice Capsey told WWCW podcast at the start of the summer that she was “learning on the job” playing 50 over cricket for England. She’s played in four of Surrey’s One Day Cup matches this summer, and won’t be available if Surrey qualify for the Eliminator. Equally, one would assume, given that she was picked to keep in England’s ODI series against Ireland ahead of county captain Kira Chathli, that it wouldn’t be beyond the ECB to have a quiet word to facilitate some extra keeping overs for her.

Whichever way you try and swing it, keeping players out of county action ahead of a barren international calendar over the winter stinks. No one benefits in the long term, not the players, the counties, or, ultimately, England.

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Afghanistan vs India T20Is: Full schedule

AFG vs IND T20Is: Full squads

Afghanistan

Ibrahim Zadran (c), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharoti, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor ul Rehman (wk), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

India

Shreyas Iyer (c), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Thakur.

Afghanistan vs India T20Is: Team News

Ibrahim Zadran will begin his tenure as Afghanistan’s T20I captain with the series. Fast-bowler Naveen-ul-Haq returns to the squad for the first time since December 2024. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi is also back for Afghanistan after missing the ODI series against Ireland due to CPL commitments. 

Nangeyalia Kharoti is back in the mix for Afghanistan after missing out on T20 World Cup selection, while Noor ul Rehman is the backup wicketkeeper in their squad.

Meanwhile, India have received a big boost with Jasprit Bumrah declared fully fit for the series. Harshit Rana has been ruled out, however, with Yash Thakur replacing him, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have also been cleared to play.

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In a knock which comprised 23 fours and a six, McKinney registered his second-highest first-class score of 184 in the second innings. Opening the batting, with Durham holding a first-innings lead of 49, McKinney added 81 for the first wicket with skipper Alex Lees before the latter fell for a 52-ball 37.

The 21-year-old, also among the contenders for England's Test opening spot, then got together with Will Rhodes to add 89 for the second wicket, and completed his third hundred of the season with a handsome backfoot drive off Ryan Higgins towards the end of second day's play. 

Durham resumed day three with a 253-run lead, with McKinney batting on 115 alongside Mayank Agarwal, who was later dismissed for 21 off Tom Helm. Higgins soon topped that up by shattering the off-stump of Graham Clarke, with the lead just above 300. McKinney then breached the 150-run mark for the second time this season, and was finally dismissed by Luke Hollman trying to accelerate.

Durham finished their second innings at 374, handing Middlesex a 424-run target. At stumps on the third day, Middlesex were at 55-2, still needing another 369 to win, with Nathan Fernandes and skipper Max Holden batting on scores of three and eight, respectively. Brydon Carse has taken both the wickets to add to a five-wicket haul in the first-innings.

Earlier in the game, Durham posted 252 in the first innings, courtesy an unbeaten 58 from Ben Raine, their No.10 bat. Naavya Sharma and Higgins scalped three wickets each, while Sebastian Morgan bagged four. In response, Middlesex succumbed for 203 following a five-wicket haul from Carse, who registered a County Championship five-for for the first time in five years. Raine also picked up two wickets, while Rhodes and Casey Aldridge came up with one each to help their side secure a lead of 49 runs. 

Durham, currently leading the Division Two table, will seal promotion with a victory here.

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Deepti Sharma, who had bowled one over for four runs, came on to bowl the 10th and conceded three runs from her first three balls. Sultana swept Deepti for four next up before attempting another reverse sweep. However, she played it awkwardly with the back of the bat, sending the ball back towards Deepti, who picked it up and threw it towards the stumps at the striker’s end.

🚨 Deepti Sharma vs Nigar Sultana Verbal Fight 🚨

Nigar played a shot towards Deepti Sharma, while she was out of her crease and Deepti threw the ball at the stumps to run her out and then started the verbal fight 🤨

What are your thoughts 🤔 pic.twitter.com/lbk7DnrAGt

— Ajay Jadeja (@AjayJadeja171) September 10, 2026

Sultana was seemingly not pleased with the throw and tried to stop the ball with a raised leg. She then turned to Deepti animatedly, questioning the throw. The India all-rounder, however, had not thrown the ball aimlessly – Sultana was out of her crease when Deepti threw up the ball, but Sultana’s action in trying to stop the throw brought up a debate over whether she should have been given out obstructing the field.

Nigar Sultana would have been given out had India appealed

According to MCC’s Law 37.1.1, either batter is out obstructing the field if “while the ball is in play, he/she wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action.”

However, India did not appeal for the dismissal, which would have seen Sultana become the fourth woman from a Full Member side to be out obstructing the field.

Image courtesy: SonySportsNetwork/Instagram

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After conceding 80 runs in 12 overs for just one wicket in the first innings, 17-year-old Lumsden stepped up in the second with a five-wicket haul to keep Nottinghamshire down to 104 and keep Hampshire's survival hopes alive. Eddie Jack and Scott Currie also contributed with three and two wickets, respectively.

Having conceded a first-innings lead of 73, Hampshire took six wickets in a matter of 34 runs to reduce Notts from 13-0 to 47-6 in the second innings. Jack started the proceedings, sending Haseeb Hameed, Ben Slater and Freddie McCann back with only 22 runs on the board.

Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes stood for another 22, before Lumsden, who was introduced in the 16th over, sent Haynes and Mitchell Hay back in a space of seven deliveries to reduce Notts to 46-5, which soon became 47-6, with Scott Currie adding a wicket to his name by dismissing Liam Patterson-White. Currie also sent Fraser Sheat back, with the score on 75.

17-year-old Lumsden then quickly took the remaining three wickets, the first of which was of Olly Stone. He then ended Joe Clarke's resistance, before Dillon Pennington became his fifth victim while skying a wild slog, leaving Hampshire with 178 needed to win the clash.

Manny Lumsden is a name you’ll want to remember pic.twitter.com/h6AnUTfas5

— Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 10, 2026

Earlier in the game, Notts batted first and got to 377 on the back of a 166-ball 105 from Clarke. Patterson-White also scored a crucial 92, whille Kyle Abbott and Scott Currie claimed four wickets each. Jake Lehmann’s unbeaten 133 was the highlight of Hampshire’s first innings as they managed 304. Stone, Pennington and Fraser Sheat picked up three wickets each.

At the time of writing, Hampshire had gone down to 61-6, still needing another 117 runs on the last day. Ben Mayes (21*) and Currie (13*) are out in the middle, having stitched the highest partnership of the innings (34) after they were reduced to 27-6. Stone and Pennington have taken three wickets each so far.

As far as the Division One points table is concerned, Hampshire are reeling at the bottom with 88 points, 28 behind ninth-placed Leicestershire. With a win and four bonus points, Hampshire can get to a maximum of 108, closing the gap before the two sides in the relegation zone face off in the next round.

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The left-arm wrist spinner returned with figures of 4-70 in 23 overs in the first innings, helping Yorkshire skittle the visitors for just 171 runs after scoring 390 themselves. He picked up the first three wickets to fall, dismissing Paul Walter, Tom Westley and Charlie Allison before coming back to remove lower-order batter Mitchell Killeen.

You'll find this under, "A perfect spinners dismissal". https://t.co/kk5c0IiSqo pic.twitter.com/8IHYGexM78

— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) September 10, 2026

Yorkshire enforced the follow-on on Essex, and Kuldeep emerged the star yet again, taking six wickets for 50 runs - his best-ever first-class innings figures - to finish with a ten-for in the game, also a first for him in the format, and mark a career-best outing of 10-120. Riding on the India spinner's ten-wicket haul, Yorkshire beat Essex by an innings and 106 runs.

Kuldeep will be delighted with the performance, especially after not bowling at all in the previous game against Surrey as fast bowlers dominated the proceedings. This was notably his first five-wicket haul in the format in almost a year, with a 5-82 against the West Indies in October 2025 being his last.

He also has a point to prove, having been shunted in and out of the national side, with the management preferring spinners who can also bat. He picked up only one wicket across two innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka before missing the second due to a viral fever.

But even from batting point of view, Kuldeep fared decently in Yorkshire's only innings against Essex. Batting at number nine, he spent 115 minutes on the crease and faced 94 deliveries for his 36. He stitched together an important 83-run stand with Dom Bess for the eighth wicket, helping Yorkshire post 390 in their first innings.

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Speaking on Wisden Women’s Cricket Weekly podcast, Winfield-Hill said: “I think if you’re dead cert to be in [England] teams then fairplay - refresh, replenish, take your breaks. If you’re somebody fighting for your spot, I’d be saying I want to play and I want to play in crunch times of the season. Every game counts when you’ve got finals rounds. You’d be wanting to knock the door down in high pressure games.

“You look at someone like Maia Bouchier and you think how much is she absolutely banging the door down and making her name an absolute cert. She belted it again yesterday and just gets better and better all the time at 50-over cricket. Well why is that? Well because she’s played a lot more of it.”

England have had a busy summer comparitive to normal, with three white-ball bilateral series as well as the T20 World Cup and Test match against Inida. However, they will not be playing international cricket for another six months, and several players currently unavailable for their counties last played competitive cricket last month in The Hundred. 

“I think 50 over cricket, especially after T20 comps or The Hundred, is really difficult to find your tempo, to be able to repeat things for a long time. To convert those starts into big scores is challenging because you’re so used to everything being short and sharp and blitz and blast in T20,” said Winfield-Hill.

“If you look at the standard of the domestic game and you get all the best players available, it’s a higher standard than international cricket against some of those lesser teams.”

Winfield-Hill emphasised the importance of having two-way conversations in regards to selection.

‘‘I think if you’re somebody that’s not managing niggles and you feel good and you’re not fatigued or feel like you need that window of opportunity to reset and recharge, then I would be saying, right I’ve got ten days left of the season, yeah we’re at the back end, we’re tired, but I’ve got a group game, a semi and a final…let’s go!

‘‘They’re the games you want to play in, and then you can put your slippers on and get your deck chair out.”

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There were reportedly around 40 people outside the hotel, some wearing balaclavas or face coverings. Tensions have risen in the area over the last few days, with hundreds of protesters clashing with police on Sunday evening after a small boat carrying asylum seekers landed near the city. Protesters also gathered in Dover over the weekens, blcoking the road around the port for several hours. Police are investigating reports of criminal damage and potential assaults from the protests.

Reform councillor George Madgwick called the hotel housing the Pakistan U19 yesterday to clarify the situation. He told The Guardian it was a "massively unfortunate incident".

"I also spoke to the coach of the team, who was very understanding," said Madgwick. "I went out to the protesters and told them, 'You've got the wrong guys, it's a cricket club'. They left within a couple of minutes.

"From the perspective of the people of Portsmouth who are already on high alert, this was a coach from the same company [as transporting asylum seekers] which was turning up with about 40 foreign men."

The ECB has reportedly contacted the PCB to check on the well-being of the team and is reviewing their security arrangements. Having taken a 1-0 lead in the series in the first Youth ODI at Arundel, where they beat the England U19s by 177 runs, they will next play at Guildford on September 12. They will finish the series with two games at Wormsley on September 14 and 16. 

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In response, South Zone were bundled out for only 336 with captain Tilak Varma fighting a lone battle. He was unfortunate to be dismissed on 99 off 211 deliveries. Devdutt Padikkal did well to muster 62 as South Zone conceded a massive lead of 372. Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar picked up two and three wickets respectively to ensure South weren’t able to build partnerships. Once they conceded the lead, the writing was on the wall for South, even as the East batters extended their dominance in the second innings.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 🏆

Congratulations to the Ishan Kishan-led East Zone on winning their third #DuleepTrophy title 👏👏#EZvSZ | @ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/u6D4UvOTEp

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 10, 2026

Kishan was brilliant again, smashing 80 off 98 balls with eight fours and three sixes. Md Kounain Quraishi remained unbeaten on 116 before East declared on 388-7 with a lead of 760, bringing the match to a close. The two teams decided to shake hands, and East took home the Duleep Trophy, thanks to their massive first-innings lead.

Ishan Kishan extends unbeaten streak as captain in first-class cricket

Kishan continued to remain unbeaten as captain in first-class cricket, extending his streak to 16 matches, having won eight and drawn as many. His unbeaten streak is the joint eighth-longest in first-class history, with Mahinda Halangoda topping the list with 30.

Longest unbeaten streak as captain in First-Class cricket history (source: CricViz)

A former U19 World Cup finalist captain, Kishan was appointed Jharkhand skipper in the 2018/19 Ranji Trophy. He led them six times that season before returning for the 2024/25 season as captain for four matches. Now 28, he led Jharkhand thrice in the 2025/26 season, while the oither three games came in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy.

Image Credits: Screengrab from BCCI Domestic/X

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Warwickshire registered an emphatic win - by an innings and 257 runs - in their County Championship fixture against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Ethan Bamber and Ed Barnard starred with the ball, picking up a five-for each, to bowl the hosts out for 69 and 65 in the two innings respectively. Suthar also made an impact with his left-arm spin.

While the quicks did the bulk of the damage, the India spinner bowled only 15 deliveries in the game without conceding a single run and also picked up three wickets. Suthar castled Mir Hamza on the third delivery of his first over to close out Glamorgan’s first innings for 69 runs. The 24-year-old then picked up two wickets in an over in the second innings, dismissing Chris Cooke and Jamie Mcllroy, and finished with figures of 2-0 in two overs. Interestingly, all three of his wickets were bowled.

What a spell 🪄

🐻 #YouBears pic.twitter.com/uEnQTrFixs

— Bears (@WarwickshireCCC) September 9, 2026

Suthar has been in terrific form with the ball this season. He starred on Test debut against Afghanistan with seven wickets, including a six-for, before picking up 16 wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka. In four rounds of the County Championship for Warwickshire, he has accounted for 21 scalps in eight innings, including a five-for against Somerset. He has also contributed 123 runs down the order in five innings, with 37 being his best score. 

Suthar is also expected to feature in the two remaining games of the season, against Essex and Leicestershire, as Warwickshire continue their push for the County Championship title. They are on top of the Division One points table with 184 points after 12 matches, 11 more than the second-placed Somerset, who have an ongoing game against Leicestershire.

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Interestingly, Tahir features three more times in the top 10 oldest bowlers to pick up a five-for in the shortest format of the game. He did so for the Warriors last year too, becoming the second-oldest overall, and has now owned the world record.

Oldest bowlers to pick up a five-for in men's T20s: Imran Tahir breaks world record

Imran Tahir's sixth T20 five-wicket haul puts him second on all-time list

Tahir led from the front against the St Lucia Kings, finishing with stunning figures of 5-17, a career-best for him, to skittle St Lucia Kings for just 119. He dismissed Kamil Pooran, Roston Chase, McKenny Clarke, Matthew Forde, and Joshua Bishop on his way to his sixth five-for in T20 cricket, second-most in the format, and is now only behind David Wiese, who has seven T20 five-wicket hauls.

The King of Providence stands tall!🤴

Imran Tahir picks up his 2nd CPL fifer! 🇬🇾 x 🇱🇨#CPL26 #GAWvSLK #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport #RepublicBank pic.twitter.com/grzI4J3eHA

— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 10, 2026

Apart from Tahir, Mehidy Hasan Miraz also shone on his CPL debut with a three-for, conceding only 13 runs in his four overs.

The surface at the Providence Stadium in Guyana was certainly not the easiest to bat on as the Warriors took 18.3 overs to gun down the target, while also losing six wickets in the process. Although they needed 51 runs off 34 balls at one point, Quentin Simpson sealed the win by blasting an unbeaten 37 off 11 balls, powered by five sixes and a four.

With this win, the Warriors have sealed their top spot in the CPL standings with 14 points and are one of the only two teams to have secured playoff qualification.

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Wickets tumbled the following morning as Middlesex lost 4-41, to go from 113-2 to 154-6. Carse took none of those, however, as  Ben Raine did the majority of the damage. A five-for for Carse didn't look on the cards with Middlesex seven down, and Carse needing all of the final three to complete his set.

However, he pinned Sebastian Morgan lbw, and finished off the innings with two in the same over, getting Tom Helm caught behind before trapping Naavya Sharma lbw to consign Middlesex to 203 all out. Carse's figures read 5-72 off 19 overs.

That five-for is the first for Carse in the County Championship since April 2021, when he took five wickets against Warwickshire in the final innings of the game, to complete a dominant Durham win by an innings and 127 runs. 

BRYDON CARSE HAS FIVE!!! ⚡️

Carsey's first five-wicket haul in Durham whites since 2021. 😍#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/9u73VfW63S

— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) September 9, 2026

This particular milestone comes amid a difficult period for Carse. Having been England's leading wicket taker in last winter's Ashes, albeit coming under criticism as part of an ineffective pace attack, he was injured ahead of the IPL, and missed the start of the English season. 

He didn't feature in any of England's Test XIs against New Zealand as he recovered from his injury, but returned to The Hundred and County Championship last month. He was also included in England's squad for their first Test against Pakistan in August.

However, while out celebrating Durham's victory over Derby, he was filmed being put in handcuffs by police in the early hours of the morning, continuing a string of incidents concerning England's relationship with alcohol. He was removed from England's squad for the second Test after the Cricket Regulator launched an investigation into the incident. Subsequently, he was left out of England's squad for the third Test against Pakistan, and their white-ball squads to face Sri Lanka.

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Starting the day at 242-6, South Zone added another 94 in the morning session on Wednesday, with Chama Milind (43) and Tilak holding the fort. They put on a 78 before the former fell. Mohammed Siraj tried to hold one end up as Tilak neared his ninth first-class hundred but was the ninth batter to fall, in the 107th over. Tilak followed him six balls later, lobbing a ball back to the bowler one run short of his hundred.

MD Nidheesh breaks the partnership 👏

He gets the crucial wicket of East Zone captain Ishan Kishan who played yet another superb knock of 80(98) 🙌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BhTkGWeeoD#DuleepTrophy | #EZvSZ pic.twitter.com/j9C01OLgmB

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 9, 2026

East Zone then lost Abhimanyu Easwaran and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cheaply, before No.3 Shikhar Mohan steadied the innings with 52. Skipper Kishan shone again, making 80 in 98 deliveries, striking nine fours and three sixes.

They ended day four at 212-5, with a lead of 584 giving South Zone an improbable target to overhaul on the last day. It will be East Zone’s third Duleep Trophy title, after their consecutive wins in 2011/12 and 2012/13.

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Hardik Pandya is part of the India A squad for the three-match unofficial ODI series against Australia A, to be played at Puducherry between October 6 and 11. His participation in the series, however, is subject to fitness clearance.

Pandya last played competitive cricket on May 24, when he led the Mumbai Indians in their last league match of the 2026 IPL, against the Rajasthan Royals. He did not bowl in that match. Back spasms had forced him to miss several matches during the tournament. Soon after the IPL, he suffered a leg strain, which ruled him out of the ODIs against Afghanistan and all subsequent international cricket.

Devdutt Padikkal to lead the 'Test' side

Devdutt Padikkal, who batted magnificently in the Tests in Sri Lanka, will lead India A in the two unofficial Tests. Sai Sudharsan, whom Padikkal replaced at No.3, has been named his deputy. It is worth mentioning that the second Test will overlap with the Irani Cup (scheduled from October 1), a red-ball fixture played between the Ranji Trophy champions (Jammu and Kashmir) and a Rest of India team.

Cricket in the Asian Games will get over on October 3, which will enable some big names to be available for the unofficial ODIs. Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead them, while Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, and Padikkal (and, of course, Pandya) will be part of the squad.

India A squad for Australia A 2026 series

Unofficial Tests

Devdutt Padikkal (c), Sai Sudharsan (vc), Kumar Kushagra (wk), N Jagadeesan (wk), Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, Nachiket Bhute.

Subject to fitness clearance: V Vyshak.

Unofficial ODIs

Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Devdutt Padikkal (vc), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur.

Subject to fitness clearance: Hardik Pandya.

India A vs Australia A 2026: Schedule

All timings local; all matches to be played at Puducherry

1st unofficial Test: September 22-25
2nd unofficial Test: September 29-October 2

1st unofficial ODI: October 6
2nd unofficial ODI: October 9
3rd unofficial ODI: October 11

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We also talk about Smriti Mandhana, with Annesha Ghosh breaking down her legacy after her record-breaking feat, and Sarah Waris on why India will play Japan in a historic game on September 22. 

Watch the full episode: 

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NAM vs SA ODIs: Full Squads

Namibia

Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Green (wk), Jan Fryclink, Louren Steenkamp, Michael van Lingen, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Jack Brassell, Max Heingo, Malan Kruger, Jan Balt, Alexander Busing-Volschenk, Waldo Smith, Junior Taanyanda, JJ Smit.

South Africa

Bjorn Fortuin (c), Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Rubin Hermann (wk), Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Jordan Hermann, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen, Eathan Bosch, Duan Jansen, Kwena Maphaka, Nqobani Mokoena, Nqabayomzi Peter, Lutho Sipamla.

Namibia vs South Africa ODIs 2026, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in India

There is no live telecast of this tri-series in India. However, Fancode will stream all the matches live for the fans in the country.

Where to watch in Namibia and Zimbabwe

OneAfrica TV will telecast the matches of the tri-series for the cricket fans in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Where to watch in South Africa and all other African countries

SuperSport has secured the rights to broadcast the tournament to fans in South Africa and across other African countries.

Where to watch in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka

Styx Sports will stream the Namibia T20I tri-series in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Where to watch in the rest of the world

Fans around the world will be able to follow the tri-series live on ICC.tv.

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The middle-order batter had played county cricket for Derbyshire for five seasons before switching over to Middlesex in 2024. Born in South Africa, du Plooy qualifies as a local player as he has a Hungarian passport, and has previously expressed ambitions to play for England.

However, on Saturday [September, 5] morning, the club announced that he would be leaving at the end of the season, a year earlier than his contracted period to explore the possibility of representing South Africa. That would have meant Middlesex would need to register him as an overseas player for the final year of his contract.

However, in an embarassing administrative error, the club were unaware when announcing du Plooy's departure that his declaration automatically made him ineligible to continue playing as a local player for the rest of the 2026 season. Middlesex had a vacant spot in their squad for an overseas player, but were not aware of the change to du Plooy's status until after the deadline for registering overseas players for the 2026 season, which passed on Sunday [September 6].

Middlesex Cricket can confirm that captain Leus du Plooy will be unable to play for the Club following clarification of his playing registration status under ECB. The club remains in discussions with ECB and PCA around this issue.

Last week, following an article in the press,… pic.twitter.com/J8WkMmmxNl

— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) September 8, 2026

In a statement released on Tuesday, the club said they remain in discussions with the ECB and PCA around du Plooy's availability. However, he was not named in the playing XI for their Championship fixture against Durham, which began today. Max Holden has instead stepped in as captain. 

The statement read: "Last week, following an article in the press, the Club confirmed that Leus had declared his intention to pursue an opportunity to play international cricket for South Africa. The Club has now been made aware that, under ECB regulations, a player who has declared an intention to play for another country is classified as an overseas player for domestic cricket purposes.

"As a result, Leus is required to be registered as an overseas player in order to continue playing for Middlesex. The deadline for the registration of overseas players for the 2026 season was Sunday, 6 September, meaning that it is now not possible for the Club to register Leus and select him for the remainder of the season."

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In a statement, Leicestershire strongly disputed the allegations and said they would make no further comment while the proceedings are ongoing.

Charge: Leicestershire CCC.

➡️https://t.co/SFeVcHxzaq pic.twitter.com/b0qGpPIBka

— Cricket Regulator (@CricRegulator) September 8, 2026

Grace Road pitch under scrutiny as Leicestershire face potential points deduction

The surface had an unusual appearance, with more grass left through the middle while the ends were cut shorter. It produced a low-scoring contest, although none of the four innings lasted fewer than 50 overs. Leicestershire were bowled out for 151 and 257, while Glamorgan made 152 and 214 as the hosts won by 42 runs.

Speaking at the end of day three, Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson was highly critical of the surface. "It's not a very good wicket," he said. "Considering that every batter's been hit on the gloves, a couple on the helmet, off good length balls, that would probably suggest it's not a very good wicket. The 'keeper's got one on the chin, we've done well to avoid an injury."

Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson also described the conditions as challenging for batters, saying the ball "seamed from ball one" and "went up and down". He pointed to two dismissals involving Ben Kellaway which he felt were "completely out of his control".

Leicestershire head coach Alfonso Thomas acknowledged that the pitch was "a bit drier than it could have been", while suggesting that the presence of a film crew at Grace Road for a couple of days had affected the moisture levels.

Under the ECB's Pitch Regulations, factors including more than occasional unevenness of bounce and regular seam movement can contribute to a pitch being rated below average.

Leicestershire's victory earned them 19 points and gave them back-to-back Championship wins after they had failed to win any of their opening seven matches in their first Division One campaign since returning to the top tier after a 23-year absence.

Those 19 points are now potentially at risk. If the Cricket Discipline Panel upholds a pitch rating of 'below average' or worse, Leicestershire could lose the points awarded for the match under the ECB's regulations.

The potential deduction comes at a crucial stage of Leicestershire's battle to avoid relegation. They are currently second from bottom of Division One with three matches remaining, seven points behind Yorkshire, who are directly above them and within 11 points of three other sides in the relegation battle.

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Deepti didn’t concede a single run against Thailand and picked up three wickets before returning with 3-9 vs Hong Kong. She then went for only five runs and picked up two wickets against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Sandhu, meanwhile, has slipped one place to eighth despite her record six-wicket haul against Hong Kong on Monday, September 7. She registered the best-ever T20I figures for Pakistan, men or women, returning 6-7 from her four overs. Apart from Sandhu, England’s Linsey Smith also slipped one place to seventh with Deepti’s rise in the rankings. South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp climbed to ninth place, while Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal dropped to tenth.

There were no movements in the top 10 of the rankings for batters and all-rounders.

Latest ICC women’s T20I rankings for bowlers: Deepti Sharma jumps two spots to sixth

Latest ICC women's T20I rankings for batters

Latest ICC women's T20I rankings for all-rounders

England stand-in captain Charlie Dean climbs ODI charts after Ireland whitewash

Meanwhile, England whitewashed Ireland comfortably in the recently concluded ODI series, which triggered some changes in the ICC women's ODI rankings. Stand-in England captain, Charlie Dean, jumped two places to joint-eleventh in the bowlers' rankings after picking up three wickets in as many matches. She also moved up a spot to go joint-ninth in the rankings for all-rounders.

Sophie Ecclestone, who missed the series, dropped from second to third, with Ashleigh Gardner taking her spot among the bowlers. On the other hand, Ireland's Amy Hunter was in exceptional touch against England, mustering 62, 64 and 39 in three outings to jump nine places to 11th in the rankings for batters.

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Namibia vs South Africa ODIs: Full Schedule

NAM vs SA ODIs: Full Squads

Namibia

Jan Fryclink, Louren Steenkamp, Michael van Lingen, Gerhard Erasmus (c), Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Jack Brassell, Max Heingo, Malan Kruger, Jan Balt, Alexander Busing-Volschenk, Waldo Smith, Junior Taanyanda.

South Africa

Bjorn Fortuin (c), Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Rubin Hermann (wk), Jordan Hermann, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen, Eathan Bosch, Duan Jansen, Kwena Maphaka, Nqobani Mokoena, Nqabayomzi Peter, Lutho Sipamla.

Namibia vs South Africa ODIs: Team News

South Africa have announced a second-string squad for the ODI series, with Fortuin named the captain. They will be without Lhuan dre-Pretorius and Andile Simelane, who picked up injuries during the T20I tri-series. Jason Smith, who was ruled out of the tri-series after suffering an adductor muscle strain, is back, however. For Namibia, Michael van Lingen reversed his retirement earlier this year in July, and is set to feature against South Africa.

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The ECB’s bid to make cricket the most inclusive sport in the country has been subject to scrutiny after the ticket prices for the 2027 Ashes series in England were unveiled. Tickets for the Test match at Edgbaston have risen by 43 per cent, whilst the cheapest non-member ticket is priced at £115, not including the £2.50 booking fee.

"I don’t know what the reasoning is behind those enormous increases is beyond demand," said Butcher. "We have very small cricket grounds in comparison to other places. We do not have the capacity in these grounds, even at Lord’s to be able to price it in a way that guarantees the ground is going to be full and they get their full value out of the demand that is required."

England are currently 2-0 up in their Test series against Pakistan, but the tickets for the third and final Test match between the two sides at Edgbaston this week have not sold out, despite the more affordable price range of £57.50 to £87.50.

"You make things cheaper when you’re desperate to sell them and you make them more expensive when you have no problem selling them," said Butcher.

"I’m not defending it, I’m not saying it’s correct. I’m just saying that if you have 24,000 tickets to sell at Birmingham and you could sell them three, four times over on every day for a Test match, for an Ashes Test, then you’re going to price them at a point you feel you can still sell the place out and the ground is full. They’re expensive because lots and lots of people want them."

Lord’s is the largest cricket ground in the UK, with a capacity of 31,180 and category A tickets to watch the Ashes at the iconic venue next year are £195. Butcher discussed how this ultimately boils down to supply and demand.

"If Lord’s had a capacity of 100,000 then some tickets would be sold for 40 quid and some tickets would be sold for 350 quid. But it doesn’t, it’s restricted," he said. "You’ve got a capital city with a population of 8 or 9 million people. You’ve got people from all over the world who want to go to say they’ve been to a Lord’s Test match and therefore the demand for those tickets is very high and they are expensive.

"As much as it’s unpalatable and as much as it doesn’t chime with the most inclusive sport in the world, it’s just a simple fact of economy. Economies of scale. Our scale in terms of our stadiums is not big enough."

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South Zone lose six wickets as East Zone maintain control

East Zone got an early breakthrough when South Zone’s opener, Ricky Bhui, fell for 1. Narayan Jagadeesan made 32, but South Zone lost both Shaik Rasheed and Devdutt Padikkal during the afternoon session. Padikkal, who had provided some resistance with a 104-ball 62, was dismissed by Mukesh Kumar at 129-4.

Smaran Ravichandran then added 23 before Mohammed Shami claimed his second wicket of the innings, leaving South Zone at 174-5.

Tilak Varma remained at the crease through the slide, batting patiently for his 56* off 133 balls. The South Zone captain found some support from Shreyas Gopal, who fought for his 26 from 79 deliveries as the pair steadied the innings. They took the team past the 240-run mark before Gopal fell in the last over of the day.

At 242-6, South Zone still trail East Zone by 466 runs, leaving them with a huge deficit to overcome. Shami and Mukesh picked up two wickets apiece, while Kounain Quraishi and Shikhar Mohan got a wicket each. Shami, whose last Test appearance was the 2023 World Test Championship final, was the pick of the bowlers, conceding 17 runs in 11 overs with four maidens. He ended with an economy rate of just 1.50.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who had earlier convinced East Zone skipper Kishan to review Bhui’s dismissal early in the innings, bowled four overs, while Kishan also chipped in with one. Sooryavanshi also stood in as captain for a considerable part of the day's play.

🗣️ Take it...take it

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 🤝 Review

The vice-captain urges the captain to take the review, and it turns out to be successful 🙌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BhTkGWeeoD#DuleepTrophy | #EZvSZ pic.twitter.com/MmtESDSnMy

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 8, 2026

If the five-day clash ends in a draw, East Zone will be named winners if they are able to hold on to their first-innings lead. East Zone last won the competition in the 2012-13 season.

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Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad were all released following the 194-run drubbing in the Lord's Test. Seven players were called in to replace them, but how many of them will make the playing XI?

Pakistan squad for the third Test vs England: Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Ubaid Shah.

How will the batting lineup look?

Pakistan haven't crossed the 200 run-mark in any of their four innings in England so far, managing scores of 171, 135, 110 and 194. But there is every chance that the top six will see just one change. Azan Awais, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel have all got recent big scores, and look unlikely to be left out, along with captain Babar Azam. But with Imam-ul-Haq sent back home, Saim Ayub, who last played a Test for Pakistan in January 2025, could take the vacant opening spot.

Ayub doesn't have great numbers in Test cricket yet, with only 364 runs in 14 innings at 26, and a top score of 77. But he recently scored a T20 century in the Caribbean Premier League, playing for Jamaica Kingsmen, before receiving an SOS to join the Test squad in England. Pakistan are expected to dish out an all-pace bowling attack after sending Ali Usman home, and Saim could be their only spin-bowling option in the XI.

Who replaces Mohammad Rizwan?

Pakistan are expected to get in Ghazi Ghori to take up Rizwan's spot. 19-year-old Saad Baig is the other wicketkeeping option, and scored 1000 runs at 55.55 for champions Karachi Region Blues in the last edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. But with Ghazi already in the squad, and having played international cricket for Pakistan (four ODIs this year), he will most probably get the nod. He averages 41.26 after 46 first-class innings, having amassed 1692 runs so far with three centuries and 10 fifties.

Which bowlers will make the cut?

Mohammad Imran Randhawa is expected to be picked for his all-round qualities. The right-arm quick is more than handy with the bat, and has over a decade of first-class experience. He has scored 2255 runs at 26.52 in 90 FC innings, with two centuries and 10 fifties, while also accounting for 110 wickets at 34.83, with four five-fors and will most likely pip Razaullah, who made his FC debut less than a year ago.

The visitors faced a lot of flak for their medium-pace bowling, and thus look all but certain to play 20-year-old quick Ubaid Shah, who made his Test debut on the tour of West Indies. He possesses the ability to hit 140 kph and will be a breath of fresh air in the Pakistan bowling attack.

Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali are expected to be retained, having impressed on the tour so far. While Abbas has been Pakistan’s best bowler, with 10 wickets at 20.80, Ali has also fared decently, accounting for six wickets so far.

Predicted Pakistan XI for third Test vs England

Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Ubaid Shah.

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On September 8, Cricket Australia confirmed that 100 per cent stakes of the Melbourne Renegades would be up for sale. They would invite bids from private owners for the same.

The 2026/27 seasons of the BBL and the WBBL will remain unaffected by this. A report in cricket.com.au confirmed that the CA will operate the Renegades in “caretaker mode”. The new ownership will be in place in both leagues from the 2027/28, though it is not clear whether the club will retain its name.

Even as the Renegdes is sold, CA will continue to have “constructive discussions” with the states and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.

Once the Renegades licence is sold, Cricket Australia will consider the sale of the other BBL and WBBL clubs under a “self-determination” model that will allow each state to make its own decision on whether to sell their clubs and if yes, when.

Among the other clubs, the Melbourne Stars, Hobart Hurricanes, and Perth Scorchers have already expressed interest in private investment, while the Sydney Sixers and Thunder, Brisbane Heat, and Adelaide Strikers are all “reluctant to proceed with private investment at this stage”.

Even if some or all clubs are sold, CA will still maintain control over international scheduling, player availability, salary caps, branding proposals, and media rights as well as the “power to approve or veto potential investors and set the reserve price that must be achieved”.

Renegades will play the opening games of both the WBBL and the BBL in 2026/27. They will host the Thunder for the WBBL opener in Melbiurne on October 29, while their BBL opener, against the Scorchers, will be played in Chennai.

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After being put in to bat, the Falcons lost a couple of early wickets, but skipper Gill led from the front to smash 67 runs off just 35 deliveries with eight fours and three sixes. Gill had the upper hand to start with in the duo's friendly battle. He smashed Abhishek’s left-arm spin for two sixes and a four in the 10th over, but soon holed out in the deep.

He rocked back to a short delivery, trying to smash the third six of the over, only to find Naman Dhir at deep mid-wicket. His dismissal left the Falcons at 92-3 after 10 overs. Abhishek had also picked up Anshul Chaudhary’s wicket earlier in the game and finished with 2-37 in his four overs.

𝙎𝙝𝙪𝙗𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙂𝙞𝙡𝙡 vs 𝘼𝙗𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙠 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖🍿

6,4,6,𝙒❗️ pic.twitter.com/72dc2VxgFM

— Theory (@BainsTheory) September 7, 2026

After shining with the ball, Abhishek Sharma gives Soormas fiery start with the bat

The 192-run chase was not going to be easy for the Soormas, but Abhishek smashed his way to 49 off 15, with six fours and four sixes. Interestingly, it was Gill who caught Abhishek off right-arm quick Garv Kumar's bowling on the last delivery of the powerplay.

But Soormas had raced to 79 by then and eventually chased down the target with three balls and four wickets to spare. Rahul Kumar smashed an unbeaten half-century (53* off 35 balls) after his captain’s breezy knock to take his team over the line.

The Soormas, however, remained at the bottom of the points table with two wins in five matches. The Falcons are fourth with three wins and as many defeats so far.

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Omaima Sohail previously held the record for women, having picked up five wickets for just 13 runs against Sri Lanka in October 2022, also during the Asia Cup. Sandhu’s 6-7 are the second-best bowling figures among Full Member nations, with Chamari Athapaththu leading the list. The Sri Lanka legend picked up seven wickets, including a hat-trick, for just five runs last week against Indonesia in the ongoing Asia Cup.

Best bowling figures in WT20Is among full member nations: Nashra Sandhu takes second spot with 6-7

The left-arm spinner dismissed Yasmin Daswani in her first over, before sending back Marina Lamplough and Maryam Bibi in her second. She then bowled a three-wicket over to send back Shanzeen Shahzad, Alison Siu and Iqra Sahar, completing her six-for and helping Pakistan bowl Hong Kong out for 71 to seal a 72-run win and book a semifinal spot.

Earlier in the game, Pakistan posted 143-8 in 20 overs after opting to bat. Shawaal Zulfiqar top-scored for them, smashing 47 off 35 deliveries with six fours. Joyleen Kaur starred with the ball for Hong Kong, picking up four wickets for 19 runs in her four-over spell.

Pakistan will now face Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup semifinal on Friday, September 11, while the winner of the Bangladesh vs UAE matchup will face India in the other last-four encounter.

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As for hosts Namibia, their opening win against South Africa was the only one they could manage. However, they came extremely close to victory in their first clash against Zimbabwe, and got to 217 runs in a 229-run chase against South Africa.

Zimbabwe experienced a roller-coaster of a campaign. They suffered defeat in both their clashes against South Africa, but beat Namibia twice, once in a thriller, to book a berth in the final. 

Dewald Brevis, who was named the player of the series, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, top-scored with 226 runs each, with Pretorius putting on a show in against Namibia. Bjorn Fortuin and Brad Evans scalped 10 wickets, but were second to Duan Jansen, who finished with 11 wickets in four outings.

Also read: ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29 points table: Updated standings after England thrash Ireland 3-0

Latest men’s T20I rankings after South Africa clinch tri-series

South Africa remained fifth, but lost two rating points after the defeat to Namibia, before gaining one after the series in.They are three points clear of Pakistan in sixth. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, remained 12th, but gained a rating point, and are now have three points more than 11th-placed Ireland. Namibia leapforgged Nepal and Scotland to get to 15th in the table.

Last updated on September 7, 2026.

Image credits: Proteas Men / Instagram

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Kishan's double hundred and Kumar Kushagra's 101 propelled East Zone to 708 in their first innings, the third-highest team total in a Duleep Trophy final and the first time that East Zone scored over 600 runs in the competition's history. Kishan also became the first East Zone captain and wicketkeeper to score a double hundred in the tournament.

Every batters with a double-hundred in Duleep Trophy final: Ishan Kishan joins elite list

On the back of an innings that comprised 30 fours and seven sixes, Kishan became only the seventh batter to register a double century in a Duleep Trophy final.

Ishan Kishan brings up his 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ in style 💯💯 🙌

What a magnificent knock from the East Zone captain so far 👏👏

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/KQf5Km69nk#DuleepTrophy | #SZvEZ pic.twitter.com/2NaE6qG4VK

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 7, 2026

Ishan Kishan puts East Zone in command with marathon innings

East Zone resumed the day at 385-4, with Ishan Kishan and Kumar Kushagra unbeaten at 111 and 63, respectively. Having added 144 runs together already, the duo brought up their 200-run stand off 248 balls Kishan completed his 150 off 204 deliveries. Kushagra completed his century off 128 balls before going down to Tripurana Vijay four deliveries later. 

From the other end, skipper Kishan stood his ground and continued scoring freely. At the stroke of lunch, East Zone were comfortably placed at 491-5 in 108 overs. The wicketkeeper-batter eventually brought up his second first-class double hundred off 270 balls with a handsome drive off Devdutt Padikkal through the covers. 

Kishan also added 140 runs with Anukul Roy for the sixth wicket, but retired hurt upon completing his 250, with the team on 611-5. Anukul followed him to the dressing room soon after but Md Kounain Qureshi and Mohammed Shami added 54 runs for the seventh wicket to take the team closer to the 700 run-mark.

Kishan returned to bat after Shami’s dismissal and scored 20 more runs, making his East Zone side only the third team to score over 700 runs in a Duleep Trophy final in the process. He was dismissed for 270, three fewer than his career-best FC score of 273. Kishan was caught by Ravichandran Smaran at long-on off Vijay, who finished with a four-wicket haul. Mohammed Siraj bowled 25 wicketless overs for 140 runs. 

Also read: Duleep Trophy 2026 final, day one: Indian World Cup winner slams hundred after Sooryavanshi dominates Siraj

Image credits: BCCI Domestic/X

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Speaking on his appointment, Pietersen said: “I am immensely proud to have been asked to help this team on their journey to win a World Cup in South Africa. Putting on the England uniform again for the first time since 2014 is a profound honour and a deeply special moment.

“We have an incredibly talented white-ball squad, and I am excited to get in the trenches and work relentlessly hard with these players to maximise their potential. To be a part of Brendon’s think tank over the next 12 months is a fantastic opportunity, and I cannot wait to get started.”

Kevin Pietersen has been appointed as a specialist mentor for England Men’s white-ball teams in the build-up to next year's ODI World Cup 🏆

His first assignment will be the upcoming series against Sri Lanka 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/Duc71LNubC

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 7, 2026

Pietersen made his international debut for England in 2004, starting an international career which would span for over a decade. He played 136 ODIs for England and 37 T20Is, as well as 104 Tests. His England career was marked with controversies, including his brief captaincy period in 2008, 'Text-gate' in 2012, as well as the acrimonious end of his international career in 2014.

Since then, Pietersen has gone on to become a significant figure in the media as a pundit, as well as his own YouTube channel The Switch. He also worked for Delhi Capitals as a mentor during the 2025 IPL. 

Pietersen joins England at a time of diverging fortunes for their white-ball side. Their T20I series victory over India this summer saw them ascend to No.1 in the world, while they sit seventh in the ICC's ODI rankings. 

Their winter series' will also mark McCullum's first in charge since losing his Test role. Pietersen has previously been critical of McCullum's running of England's Test side, saying earlier this year: “The talent is there. What they [England] need to do is knuckle down. In Test cricket you’ve got to accept that it’s going to be tough, that you’ve got to be prepared for the hard yards. Hopefully the new Test coach will instil the sort of discipline which has been lacking over the past couple of months. In sport you can change mindsets. They just need to change the mindset.”

More to follow...

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On the other hand, Ireland have lost all their six matches in the championship so far, and are yet to open their account. They were comprehensively beaten by the West Indies this July, before going down to England. They stand ninth (on net-run rate superiority), just a spot above Zimbabwe, who have also lost all six fixtures. 

This was England’s second series in the Women’s Championship, after having drawn level (1-1) with New Zealand in a three-match series (with one abandoned game), in May this year. 

England started off with a comfortable 282-run chase in the first ODI on the back of a splendid 104 off 95 balls from opener Maia Bouchier. Sophia Dunkley also scored 74 off 61, stitching a 143-run opening stand in 19.2 overs. Cara Murray was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland, scalping three for 58 in nine overs. 

Issy Wong registered a five-wicket haul in the second ODI, returning with figures of 5-33, restricting Ireland to 165. Amy Hunter, who also scored 62 off 90 in the first ODI, scored 64 off 96 in the second, and was Ireland’s only positive. England got to the target in 23 overs, with six wickets intact. 

Sophia Dunkley turned up in the third ODI to register a 119 off as many deliveries, taking England to a competitive 291. Murray bagged a four-wicket haul again and registered the most wickets in the series. Ireland were kept down to 177, as England completed a 114-run victory with a clean sweep. 

England will take on Bangladesh in their next assignment in a three-match series starting September 17, while Ireland are yet to announce their next opponent. 

Also read: England appoint Kevin Pietersen as specialist white-ball mentor

Updated Women’s Championship 2025-29 points table after England vs Ireland ODI series

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The drop in form for Labuschagne has been no secret. His last Test century came during the 2023 Ashes in Manchester. Against Bangladesh recently, he registered scores of four, one and 31, respectively, which attracted further scrutiny over his declining Test returns. 

Australia selector George Bailey has backed the 32-year-old, asserting his belief in Labuschagne’s return to form. The Pat Cummins-led side have kept their faith in their No.3, but have also named potential replacements should Labuschagne be excluded from the XI. 

“We are not shying away from the fact that we'd like some more runs from Marnus,” Bailey said on Monday. “That's clear, but we're also confident that he can still make a positive contribution to that squad. I think our batting group in its entirety, not just Marnus, probably hasn't been functioning as successfully as we would like, but also not shying away from the fact that we've continued to win a lot of Test matches over that period.”

Bailey also clarified that Labuschagne was excluded from Australia's ODI squads to help him focus on his preparations for the red-ball series. 

Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis could take the Australia No.3 spot for South Africa Tests

Connolly, who played his only Test until now in 2025 against Sri Lanka, has amassed 800 runs off 13 innings in first-class cricket without a century. He has also been named in the ODI squad on the back of a century against Bangladesh in June this year. 

Josh Inglis is also part of the squad, with Bailey trusting both his and Connolly’s ability to bat in the top order. Inglis was a part of the squad for the Tests against Bangladesh, but is yet to feature in a Test match this year, with his last appearance being in December last year against England in Adelaide. 

"He's a good player, and one I think that's going to continue to develop across formats," Bailey said. "Every time that we've had him on tour, he's a good learner. He's keen to expand his game. I think he will be able to [bat in the top three]. Whether that's now, whether that's in the future. He's still so young in his career, but I think his ability to bat in a range of positions will continue to grow as he gets more and more experience."

"'Inglis probably gets lost a little bit, given the fact he's been in so many squads, but not necessarily had the opportunities," he added. "But he is one I think who potentially can – and again has shown this probably more in white-ball cricket – but has the ability to bat in a range of positions."

Furthermore, there have been discussions about Steve Smith taking the No.3 spot, and Bailey did not rule out that possibility. "Steve has batted at three for a large part of his career," Bailley said. "Hasn't done it for a little while, and has had success there. So absolutely, that'll be a conversation at some point."

Matt Renshaw and Travis Head are likely to open the batting, with no other opener named in the squad. Alongside Connolly, Michael Neser and Matthew Kunhemann are the only players added to the squad, with the remaining 13 being the same from the recent Bangladesh series. 

South Africa will host Australia for a three-match ODI series, before three Tests starting from October 9, 18 and 27, respectively. The first Test will be played in Durban, and the next two in Gqeberha followed by Johannesburg. 

Australia Squad for Tests against South Africa

Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. 

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We’re speaking on a midweek afternoon when the schools have re-opened after the summer break, but the indoor cricket dome is a hive of activity.

“The domes have been a huge success. The ECB came to Park Avenue, a ground that's in the centre of the community, in the middle of Bradford, a hotbed of cricket, with the view that [they develop the] Park Avenue project and the land that we had at the side of the cricket ground which was the old vacant football ground.”

It was then on an early December morning in 2023 when the ECB chair Richard Thompson and the former England and Yorkshire bowler Darren Gough along with Hussain and members of the Bradford Community were on hand to open the dome, which has quickly become a huge success. The likes of Adil Rashid and Shan Masood have turned up to use the facility alongside parents and children from across Bradford and beyond.

The National Tape Ball Competition took place at the Indoor Cricket Dome in Bradford in 2024 and saw 11 women’s teams and 13 men’s teams competing for the coveted cup. It was a huge celebration of the contribution ethnically diverse communities have made to cricket, bringing together the right mix of food, music and, of course, Tape Ball cricket

“Last year from January to December, we had over 52,000 people, and that's just on the booking system of lanes booked, averaging about four people per lane. So you know that's a massive success,” said Hussain.

“Predominantly 90-95 percent of it is cricket, but we also host an organisation called Sunnah Sports who receive the holiday activation fund. They hire the dome out and they'll do multiple different sports.”

It was while Hussain was carrying out his Park Avenue groundsman duties that he received a call from his daughter which would forever change his life.

“I got a phone call from home. It's my daughter saying to me, ‘Dad, there's a letter.’ And I'm like, ‘You've rang me to tell me there's a letter?’ I said, ‘Is it a fine or something? Is that why you rang me? Is your mum going to be upset about something I've done wrong?’ And she says to me, ‘No, Dad.’

“I said, ‘open it, and tell me what it is.’ She says, ‘I have opened it. It's...a letter from the King!’

“I said, ‘I haven't got time. Why would the King be writing to me?’”

Hussain rushed home to discover that the letter was in fact from the King, and he had been awarded a BEM for services to cricket. However, the shock was still evident.

“All you ever hear about is that David Beckham got this and that so and so got that. Nobody hears about Nasa who cuts grass at Bradford Park. So, yeah, it was an absolute wow factor.”

Among his other roles, Hussain is a board member of the Bradford Cricket League and its disciplinary chair. Through this role, he reunited with fellow groundsman Richard Robinson, current head groundsman at Yorkshire, who introduced Hussain to the art of grounds keeping, which put Hussain in the frame for his role at Headingley.

Proof of their work in tough conditions came on the first day of the first England v Pakistan Test match last month. Faced with sodden outfield, a wet pitch and square, Robinson guided Hussain and the rest of his team to get play on within an hour of the rain stopping, receiving plaudits from the match referee for getting the match back on as quickly as they did.

“It's more to do with the way Richard handles things as well. He's a very good man, he's got great man management skills, and is a good leader.”

Chasing 139 in their first-ever WCPL clash, Empress were 102-5 two balls into the 17th over, when the match was interrupted due to rain. The target and overs were reduced to 132 and 19, respectively, leaving Empress with 30 needed off 16 when play resumed, and Henry on nine off as many balls. 

However, they lost Aaliyah Alleyne to Nadine de Klerk on the third devliery after restart, and the Empress were left with 28 to win in the last two overs, with four wickets to spare. Shabnim Ismail then got rid of Zaida James to finish the 18th over, but not before Henry took her for a six and a four, leaving 17 runs to score from the last six balls. 

After Chloe Tryon opened the 19th with a wide, both Rosemary Mair and Syeda Aroob Shah were run-out in a span of three deliveries trying to put Henry back on, who managed a six off the second ball. With Empress nine down, and eight to get off the last three, Tryon got a dot ball in as Henry decided to not run. The West Indies all-rounder then smashed two sixes to win the nail-biting contest by one wicket on the last delivery of the game. 

Empress openers Rashada Williams and Meg Lanning scored 31 apiece off 28 and 21 deliveries, respectively, and Djenaba Joseph added 19 from three. However, apart from the top three, Henry’s 41 not out off 21 was the only score in excess of 10 as four batters (Alleyne, James, Mair and Shah) were dismissed for a duck. 

Earlier in the game, the Warriors were pushed on the back foot after being put in to bat. They lost Tazmin Brits (1) and Eboni Brathwaite (3) with just seven on the board before Realeanna Grimmond (45 off 46) and Shemaine Campbelle (56 off 33) stitched a 97-run stand off 61 balls for the third wicket.

Skipper Tryon added an unbeaten 16-ball 21 to put up a respectable 138-7 on the board. For the Empress, Nonkululeko Mlaba and skipper Stafanie Taylor picked up two wickets each, whereas Mair and Henry got one each. The latter was named the player of the match for her all-round showing.

Both Empress and Warriors will be taking on the Trinbago Knight Riders in their next WCPL clashes on September 10 and 12, respectively.

Also read: Full list of overseas players in Women’s Caribbean Premier League 2026

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💯 for Ishan Kishan 👏

He brings it up in style 💥

The East Zone captain leading from the front with a superb knock 🙌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/KQf5Km69nk#DuleepTrophy | #SZvEZ pic.twitter.com/ql9el4G60Q

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 6, 2026

Kishan remained unbeaten on 111 off 135 deliveries, with 14 fours and two sixes. With him is Kumar Kushagra (63 off 75 balls): the duo has added 144 for the fifth wicket. 

Even before Kishan came out to bat, the day was headlined by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dominating fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. The teenager took on the experienced international in the first session, smashing him for 14 runs in a single over.

4️⃣,6️⃣,4️⃣

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on the charge with some delightful shots 🔥

The 50-run stand also comes up between Vaibhav and Abhimanyu Easwaran 🙌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/KQf5Km69nk#DuleepTrophy | #SZvEZ pic.twitter.com/0XLR4LI50R

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 6, 2026

Sooryavanshi and Abhimanyu Easwaran got East Zone off to a brilliant start after Kishan opted to bat. Such was their dominance that South Zone skipper Tilak Varma was forced to set a defensive field, with five fielders on the boundary, in the first hour of the day. They added 100 in 14.4 overs before Chama Milind dismissed Sooryavanshi for 44.

This was followed by a decent period for South Zone bowlers, who reduced the opposition to 147-3 by claiming Easwaran (72) and Sudip Kumar Gharami (six). South Zone would’ve hoped to gain ascendancy from this position, but Kishan took control of the proceedings.

Shikhar Mohan was set by the time he arrived. They stitched 94 for the fourth wicket to put East Zone on top once again. Just when Mohan looked set to reach his century, Milind castled him. But that was the last success of the day for South Zone as they even struggled to contain the batters in the final session.

Kushagra and Kishan slammed the red cherry to all parts of Chepauk to put East Zone in a strong position. Siraj, who was expected to strengthen South Zone’s bowling attack, had an off day as he was taken for 96 in 14 overs.

Only 79 overs were bowled in the day thanks to South Zone’s poor over rate. They received an official warning from the umpires after, at one stage, they had bowled only four overs in 24 minutes of cricket.

Image Credits: Screengrab from BCCI Domestic/X

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The two England spinners, skipper Ralphie Albert and Jack Nelson, shared all 10 wickets. Leg-spinner Nelson triggered the collapse, picking up four of the last five wickets. He caught Hamza Zahoor off his own bowling to break the 33-run sixth-wicket stand and then sent back Hasnain Abbas Dar, Mohammad Sayyam and Rizwanullah to seal a memorable victory for England.

Forgettable Day for Pakistan 💔

England U-19 defeated Pakistan U-19 by 10 runs in the four day test match.

- Pakistan U-19 failed to chase 27 runs with 5 wickets in hand. pic.twitter.com/TQPrmpGjXL

— Qamar. (@Qamar5618) September 5, 2026

Earlier in the innings, Pakistan recovered from 60-3, thanks to a 124-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Abdul Qadir (80) and captain Farhan Yousaf (47). At 184-3, they seemed to be cantering before Albert dismissed both players and Nelson assumed control.

Albert picked up nine wickets with his left-arm spin, including six in the second innings. He impressed with the bat too, with scores of 88 and 40.

In the match, England U19 posted 333 in the first innings on the back of Bertie Michael’s 131. Manny Lumsden then took a five-for to restrict Pakistan to 305, while Leo Selvey-Clinton smashed 107 in the second innings to help the hosts set a target of 262, which proved just enough in the end.

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The Knight Riders boast of one of the best all-rounders in the world, Marizanne Kapp, in their squad, along with two Indians, Yastika Bhatia and Shikha Pandey.

Pandey also won the player of the match award in the opening game of the season for her 3-17, while Bhatia scored 35 in 28 balls, opening the innings with Australia’s Laura Harris (38 off 19). In the same game, Madeline Penna of New Zealand scored a 21-ball 27. Sainavi Kambalpalli of the USA rounds off the Knight Riders’ overseas players quota for this season.

Barbados Tridents

The Tridents have signed one of New Zealand’s all-time greats, Suzie Bates, for this WCPL season. Bates picked up 2-25 but made only a solitary run. They have another New Zealand veteran, Maddy Green, in their unit.

Sri Lanka T20I skipper Chamari Athapaththu, listed in their squad on the Barbados official website, is currently playing in the Asia Cup in Dubai and is unlikely to be available at least till September 11, with Sri Lanka expected to make at least the semi-finals. India’s Kiran Navgire and Pooja Vastrakar are the other two overseas players signed by Barbados Tridents.

Jamaica Empress

Australia legend Meg Lanning is the biggest name on the roster for the Jamaica Empress. Even though she retired from international cricket in November 2023, Lanning has been actively playing in T20 leagues. Her teammates include Ireland’s talented opener Amy Hunter.

The Empress’ bowling attack will be strengthened by Rosemary Mair and Nonkululeko Mlaba. A New Zealand fast bowler with 32 wickets in 48 T20Is, Mair takes the new ball more often than not. Mlaba, the left-arm spinner from South Africa, has 79 wickets in 83 T20Is so far, and has also played four Tests and 54 ODIs.

Guyana Amazon Warriors

Guyana Amazon Warriors have managed to sign three exceptional South Africans this season. Tazmin Brits will certainly open the innings, while Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon are two of the best finishers who can roll their arm as well.

Australian Erin Burns rounds off Guyana’s overseas players’ quota. Burns is a reliable middle-order batter with immense experience in the Women’s Big Bash League. She had played for the Amazon Warriors in 2024, scoring 172 runs at 57.33 and a strike rate of 124.

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On the way to his five-wicket haul, Sai Kishore dismissed Derbyshire’s five of the top seven batters (Harry Came, Matthew Montgomery, Wayne Madsen, Aneurin Donald, Brooke Guest) to leave them reeling at 41-6 in the 15th over. Oliver Price (three wickets) and Ed Middleton (two) accounted for the other five batters to skittle Derbyshire for just 105 in 38.4 overs.

Sai Kishore had also picked up two wickets in the first innings, of Muhammad Naeem and Donald, to finish with 2-59 in 23 overs. He also scored 20 in the first innings down the order, adding a crucial 48 for the seventh wicket with James Bracey. 

Now 29, Sai Kishore has bowled well for Gloucestershire this season, accounting for 13 wickets at 23.07. He has also been a valuable contributor with the bat down the order, mustering 69 runs at 34.5.

As for the match (played at the County Ground in Bristol), Gloucestershire recovered from a precarious 37-5 to post 237 in the first innings after opting to bat. In response, Derbyshire collapsed from 204-2 to 278.

Gloucestershire then staged a terrific comeback, with Miles Hammond and Bracey smashing centuries. They declared at 359-5 to set a 319-run target for Derbyshire. Then came Sai Kishore’s heroics with the ball that helped Gloucestershire end their six-match losing streak this season.

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South Zone, meanwhile, will be without KL Rahul and Vidwath Kaverappa, but the inclusions of Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal, who have joined for the final after the Test series against Sri Lanka, will be a boost for South Zone’s chances. They bagged a comfortable victory in the semifinal against the North Zone as skipper Tilak Varma registered a hundred and a fifty and remained unbeaten in both the innings.

The final, which was initially scheduled to be played at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, was shifted to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to encourage fans to watch the game live. The match will be played across five days, with the scheduled start time being 9:30am IST. 

Out of seven appearances in the final, East Zone have bagged two titles, while South Zone have won 14 out of their 25, with two shared titles. 

Duleep Trophy 2026 final, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in India?

Fans in India can enjoy the live stream for the final on JioHotstar, while it will also be televised on Star Sports Network. 

Where to watch in the rest of the world?

The Duleep Trophy 2026 final will not be will not be telecast or streamed outside India.

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None of their batters could get to double figures, while 10 extras were bowled in the innings. Among the batters, number nine Louis Kimber scored the most: a 15-ball eight, while Luke Procter and Calvin Harrison scored seven each. 

Parkinson landed the first blow, having opener Ricardo Vasconcelos stumped in the second over, before Matthew Potts trapped Procter leg before in the fifth. Nathan McSweeney, at No.4, fell to Parkinson and Potts took his second to send Saif Zaib back in consecutive overs to reduce Northants to 23-4.

They soon went down to 27-6, with Parkinson removing both Harrison and Bartlett in the same over. The left-arm spinner completed a ninth first-class five-for by going through Sales’ defence and got his sixth by having Kimber caught by Mayank Agarwal. Ben Stokes finished the proceedings by dismissing Yuzvendra Chahal.

Callum Parkinson’s figures today:
1️⃣1️⃣-3️⃣-6️⃣-2️⃣0️⃣

Superb. 💛💙#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/lg22Zwo8Dz

— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) September 5, 2026

Earlier in the game, Durham batted first and got to 205, courtesy of David Bendingham’s 81, while Chahal took four wickets. Northants hit back with 263, taking an important first-innings lead and were in a strong position after picking up three quick Durham wickets towards the end of third day's play to have them at 246-7, before bowling them out quickly on the final day as Chahal took a five-wicket haul. But their capitulation saw them lose important points in the promotion race.

Northants stayed second in the Division Two table with 155 points, closely followed by Kent in third, who have 151 points and an ongoing game against Worcestershire. Durham are comfortably placed at the top with 210 points and three rounds left to play.

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The tournament will be played in a round-robin format, with the team that finishes first after the league stage directly qualifying for the final. The second and third-placed sides will lock horns in the playoff, with the final advancing to the final.

Stafanie Taylor will lead Empress, while Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews will captain Knight Riders and Tridents, respectively. Chloe Tryon will be the only overseas captain in the league, leading Amazon Warriors.

The inaugural edition was won by Trinbago Knight Riders. while each of the next three seasons has been clinched by Barbados Tridents, who were previously known as Barbados Royals.

All eight fixtures will be played in Bridgetown, with day and night games both being played. The final is scheduled for September 17.

Also read: WCPL 2026: Full schedule, squads, venues, and match timings for Women's Caribbean Premier League

WCPL 2026 where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming details

Where to watch in the Caribbean?

RUSH Live & Louder has been confirmed as the broadcaster in the Caribbean. 

Where to watch live in India?

Fans in India can access the live stream on the Fancode app and website.

Where to watch in Australia?

Fans in Australia can tune in to Kayo Sports for the live stream to watch the 2026 WCPL.

Where to watch in the UK? 

You can watch all games of the Women's Caribbean Premier League on TNT Sports.

Where to watch in Pakistan? 

All matches will be shown live on Tapmad Entertainment.

Where to watch in the USA & Canada?

Fans across the USA and Canada will be able to enjoy live action via Willow TV.

Note: Broadcast and live streaming details for other regions will be updated post official confirmation.

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