Colombo to host the tournament from April 27 to May 11 Sri Lanka will host India and South Africa for a women’s ODI tri-series from April 27 to May 11, as announced by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Thursday. This series was not initially part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP). Each team will face the others twice, playing a total of four matches each, before the top two teams compete in the final. The tournament will begin with Sri Lanka taking on India, and all matches will be played as day games at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.…
Author: Raghav Mutdeyja
Managing director sees similarities between Test and ODI cricket, making Stokes a logical choice Ben Stokes is emerging as a strong candidate to succeed Jos Buttler as England’s ODI captain, with Rob Key insisting it would be “stupid” not to consider the Test skipper for the role. As England’s men’s managing director, Key is exploring various leadership options following Buttler’s resignation after a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign. Under this potential reshuffle, Stokes could take charge of the ODI side, while current vice-captain Harry Brook is the frontrunner for the T20I captaincy. Stokes has not featured in ODIs since the 2023…
South Australia captain prioritizes Sheffield Shield final but remains keen on overseas opportunities Nathan McSweeney has expressed his willingness to play county cricket if the opportunity arises, as he aims to reclaim a spot in Australia’s Test squad. With one of the opening positions yet to be confirmed for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s in June, McSweeney is focused on making a strong case for selection. The 25-year-old began the summer as Australia’s Test opener during the Border-Gavaskar series but was dropped after three matches in favor of Sam Konstas. McSweeney struggled against Jasprit…
“We need to focus on our intent and approach. In modern cricket, these factors are crucial.” Salman Ali Agha has pledged to bring an aggressive and fearless style of cricket as he takes over as Pakistan’s fourth T20I captain since January 2024. Agha replaces Mohammad Rizwan, following the short-lived captaincies of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam. Pakistan’s recent performances have been disappointing, including a group-stage exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they suffered a shocking defeat against the USA. This led to significant changes in the squad, with several fresh faces replacing seasoned players, most notably Babar…
Wasim Jaffer said that they will need to find a way to win games at the start of tournaments going forward Dale Steyn backed Afghanistan to win an ICC tournament within the next decade. To do so, he suggested that they inject patience into their individual and collective games. Afghanistan beat England in a thriller in Lahore but couldn’t make the knockouts of the Champions Trophy 2025. They lost their first match to South Africa and looked in trouble against Australia as well before rain intervened. “Back in the day, a lot of players would go play county cricket,” Steyn…
One team will return to Pakistan for the second semi-final against New Zealand The scheduling of the Champions Trophy semi-finals across two different countries has led to logistical challenges, with both Group B qualifiers—most likely Australia and South Africa—set to travel to the UAE on Saturday. An ICC official confirmed that the decision was made to give the team playing the Dubai semi-final on March 4 ample time to prepare. However, it also means that one team will face the inconvenience of traveling from Pakistan to Dubai, only to return to Pakistan the following day. While the Lahore semi-final is…
Malewar Shines Again with 73, Adding to His First-Innings 153 Karun Nair’s unbeaten 132* has put Vidarbha within touching distance of their third Ranji Trophy title, as they extended their lead to 286 runs at stumps on Day 4, with six wickets still in hand. It was a knock defined by patience, resilience, and a touch of fortune, marking Nair’s 23rd first-class century and fourth of the season. Ironically, had circumstances played out differently two seasons ago, Nair might have been representing Kerala. After being unceremoniously dropped by Karnataka, he first approached Kerala, but with no offer forthcoming, he turned…
Big Picture: A Sudden-Death Showdown Much like Afghanistan’s recent match against England, the political backdrop of this contest is impossible to ignore. Encounters between Afghanistan and Australia are rare, with Australia—like England—refusing to engage in bilateral series due to concerns over human rights violations under the Taliban regime. Cricket Australia reaffirmed its stance last month by hosting a T20 match featuring an Afghanistan women’s XI in Melbourne, further highlighting the issue. However, despite their opposition to bilateral matches, Australia continues to face Afghanistan in ICC tournaments, leading to ongoing debate. On the field, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With the…
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has stated he has “no issues” playing against Afghanistan in their crucial Champions Trophy clash on Friday. With both teams vying for a semi-final spot, victory for either side in Lahore will guarantee progression to the knockout stage. However, the match comes amidst continued scrutiny over Australia’s stance on playing Afghanistan. Cricket Australia has refused to engage in bilateral series against Afghanistan in protest of the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s cricket and broader gender-based exclusions. Despite this, Australia has faced Afghanistan in ICC tournaments since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, including the 2022 T20 World…
Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar, famously known as the “Rawalpindi Express,” is widely regarded as the fastest bowler in cricket history. He holds the record for the fastest delivery ever recorded in international cricket—161.3 km/h (100.23 mph) against England in the 2003 Cricket World Cup. His raw pace and aggressive bowling made him a nightmare for batters worldwide. Former South African opener Herschelle Gibbs and Sri Lanka’s former cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan said Akhtar was the fastest bowler during an interaction in a recent launch of the ICB Indian Corporate T20 Bash. The conversation over Akhtar’s pace also showcases the lasting impact the…