Sport Updates
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West Indies Name Shai Hope-Led Squads for ODI and T20I Series in India, Hetmyer Set for Later Return
West Indies have announced their squads for the white-ball tour of India, with Shai Hope continuing as captain across both the ODI and T20I legs. The tourists retain the core group that featured in their recent home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. John Campbell returns to the ODI squad after missing the final two matches against New Zealand with a hamstring injury. Jewel Andrew comes in as a top and middle-order batting option, replacing Ackeem Auguste, who is out of the tour while he continues his rehabilitation following August surgery. Shimron Hetmyer featured in the last two ODIs against New Zealand but will sit out the early part of this series. He has been given an extended recovery period after the CPL and will link up with the squad only for the T20I leg. The three-match ODI series doubles up as the West Indies' final push in the qualification cycle for the ICC Men's 50-Over World Cup, with the first two games carrying direct bearing on automatic qualification. It gets underway on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram , followed by Guwahati and Mullanpur, before the five-match T20I series runs from October 6 in Lucknow through to October 17 in Bengaluru . West Indies ODI Squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales. West Indies T20I Squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Kamil Pooran, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.
Travis Head's Ton and Zampa's 200th Wicket Seal Australia's Record-Breaking Series Win Over Zimbabwe
Australia sealed their ODI series against Zimbabwe with a game to spare, crushing the hosts by 84 runs in Harare behind a record team total and twin individual milestones for Travis Head and Adam Zampa . Put in to bat, Head announced his return to form in style, smashing 112 off 84 balls , his eighth ODI century, sharing a rapid 130-run opening stand with stand-in captain Mitch Marsh, who added a half-century of his own. Cooper Connolly then chipped in with 78 and Ollie Peake blasted an 18-ball 41 not out to power Australia to 356 for 6 , their highest-ever ODI total against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's batters all got starts but none could kick on, eventually bowled out for 272. Adam Zampa reached a career milestone of his own during the innings, bowling Innocent Kaia with a superb googly to bring up his 200th ODI wicket , finishing with figures of 2 for 62. Josh Hazlewood, recalled for the match, took 2 for 48, while Connolly completed the win with the last two wickets in successive balls. The result gives Australia an unassailable 2-0 series lead, though it came with a concerning moment when fast bowler Billy Stanlake left the field with a side strain during his fifth over. "When big Billy went down, our part-time bowlers and allrounders really stepped up," said Marsh, with Australia using the tour as preparation ahead of their ODI World Cup title defence next year.
Jos Buttler Becomes First Player Ever to Reach 15,000 T20 Runs as England Seal Sri Lanka Series
Jos Buttler became the first player in history to reach 15,000 career T20 runs , reaching the milestone during England's six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Cardiff that sealed a 2-0 series victory with a match to spare. Buttler brought up the landmark with a single in his 528th T20 appearance, moving past West Indies great Kieron Pollard's tally to stand alone at the top of the format's all-time run-scoring list. He contributed 30 off 16 balls at the top of the order as England chased down Sri Lanka's 145 for 9 with 47 balls in hand, with Tom Banton playing the standout innings of the night, an unbeaten 52 off 24 balls. "He has been phenomenal for 15 years and someone you want by your side and in the changing room," said captain Harry Brook, calling the milestone "ridiculous." Liam Dawson was named Player of the Match for figures of 3 for 32 with the ball, with Jofra Archer marking his 50th T20I cap by taking two wickets of his own. The win extends England's dominance over Sri Lanka in the format to 14 consecutive victories, continuing a red-hot run under head coach Brendon McCullum and new white-ball mentor Kevin Pietersen, with the series-deciding dead rubber to follow at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Shafali Verma Shines With Bat and Ball as India Beat Japan at Asian Games
Shafali Verma played a star role in India's big win over Japan in the Asian Games quarter-final, taking two wickets with the ball before scoring an unbeaten 40 to finish the chase. Bowling alongside Shree Charani, who took four wickets, Shafali picked up two wickets to help bowl Japan out for just 57. She then opened the batting for India's chase and took the game away from Japan quickly, hitting an unbeaten 40 off just 15 balls , with four boundaries and two sixes. She finished the match herself, hitting a six to seal the win with 90 balls still left. The all-round show continues a great run of form for the 22-year-old, who was also a key player in India's title win at the Women's Asia Cup earlier this month. She remains one of the most exciting players in India's squad as the team chases gold at the Asian Games.
India Women Rout Japan by 90 Balls to Spare, Charani's 800-Point Milestone Caps Dominant Run
India Women thrashed Japan by eight wickets in their Asian Games quarter-final, sealing victory with a record 90 balls to spare to book a semi-final date with Bangladesh on September 20. Put in to bowl after winning the toss, India ran through Japan's batting with a disciplined spin display, with Shree Charani the standout performer, returning superb figures of 4 for 10 from her four overs. Shafali Verma chipped in with two wickets, while Shreyanka Patil and Deepti Sharma took one apiece as the hosts were bowled out for just 57 in 19.5 overs, with only Ayaka Kato-Stafford's 25 offering any real resistance. India made light work of the modest target, racing to 59 for 2 in just five overs. Shafali Verma provided the fireworks with an unbeaten 40 off 15 balls, striking four fours and two sixes, and fittingly sealed the win with a six over long-on. The margin of 90 balls remaining stands as India's largest-ever victory by balls remaining in Women's T20I history. The win came on the back of a landmark individual milestone for Charani, who recently became the first Indian woman to cross 800 rating points in the ICC Women's T20I bowling rankings, reaching a career-best 804 following her four-wicket haul in the Asia Cup final win over Sri Lanka, surpassing Mithali Raj's previous Indian record of 780 points.
Chamari Athapaththu's 63 Powers Sri Lanka to 86-Run Win Over Malaysia, Into Asian Games Semis
Sri Lanka Women cruised into the semi-finals of the Women's Asian Games 2026 , beating Malaysia Women by 86 runs in the third quarter-final at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat, and skipper Chamari Athapaththu set the tone with a blistering 63 off just 37 balls, striking seven fours and three sixes. Kavisha Dilhari kept the tempo going at the other end with an unbeaten 44, while Harshitha Samarawickrama chipped in with 25 as Sri Lanka posted a commanding 160 for 4 . Nurin Imanina was the pick of Malaysia's bowlers, finishing with 3 for 29. Malaysia's chase never got going. Malaysia lost Ainna Hamizah Hashim in the very first over, run out without scoring, and the required rate quickly spiralled out of reach. Winifred Duraisingam (28) and Mahirah Izzati Ismail (24) tried to rebuild but could not force the pace, with Sri Lanka's bowlers sharing the wickets around. Mithali Ayodhya , Kavisha Dilhari and captain Chamari Athapaththu all picked up two wickets apiece as Malaysia folded to 74 for 7 . The result sends Sri Lanka to the top of the points table on net run rate, level on points with Pakistan, and books their place in Sunday's semi-final. Malaysia's campaign, by contrast, ends at the quarter-final stage, with the defeat leaving them bottom of the standings.
India Smash New T20I Powerplay Record With 100/0 Against Afghanistan
India set a new team record for their fastest-ever start to a men's T20I innings, racing to 100 without loss inside the powerplay against Afghanistan in the third and final T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson put on a blistering opening stand, taking apart Afghanistan's new-ball and spin options alike from the very first over. Sharma alone contributed 76 off just 22 balls during the phase, while Samson kept the scoreboard ticking at the other end, with neither batter separated as India brought up the milestone inside the first six overs, a mark no Indian top order had previously reached in the format. The record-breaking start set the platform for India's eventual total of 221 for 7, with Sharma going on to complete the fastest T20I century ever by an Indian batter in the same innings. The powerplay landmark underlines the growing firepower of India's white-ball top order heading into the Asian Games, with the series ending in a 3-0 sweep of Afghanistan.
India Name Squad for Japan T20I and Asian Games, Vipraj Nigam Earns Maiden Call-Up
India have named their 14-player squad for the historic one-off T20I against Japan and the subsequent Asian Games campaign, with Shreyas Iyer continuing as captain and Tilak Varma as his deputy. The squad arrives with one change from its earlier composition, after Varun Chakravarthy was ruled out of both assignments with a side strain picked up during the Afghanistan series, with leg-spin all-rounder Vipraj Nigam handed a maiden international call-up as his replacement. Nigam first came to prominence during IPL 2025 with Delhi Capitals, and impressed further during India A's one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka in June, finishing as joint-highest wicket-taker. Squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Vipraj Nigam. India play Japan in Nisshin on September 22 in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations in international cricket, before their Asian Games campaign begins directly at the quarter-final stage on September 28, with the semi-finals on October 1 and medal matches on October 3, as India defend the gold they won at Hangzhou 2023.
India Complete 3-0 Series Sweep of Afghanistan with 127-Run Rout in Delhi
India completed a 3-0 series sweep over Afghanistan , sealing the finale with a thumping 127-run win at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi — their most emphatic performance of the series. Sent in to bat after Afghanistan won the toss, India were powered by an extraordinary innings from Abhishek Sharma , who smashed the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter — 108 off just 34 balls — laced with 9 fours and 11 sixes. Sanju Samson (50) provided able support in an 88-run opening stand, before India finished on 221/7 . Afghanistan never recovered from a top-order collapse, losing four wickets inside the powerplay for just 47. Nitish Kumar Reddy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/26) shared six wickets between them as the innings folded for 94 in 14.1 overs . With the win, India extend their dominant head-to-head record over Afghanistan in T20Is and head into the Asian Games on the back of a clean-sweep series victory.
Abhishek Sharma Smashes Fastest-Ever T20I Century by an Indian Batter
Abhishek Sharma produced the fastest T20I century ever by an Indian batter, reaching three figures off just 30 balls during the third and final T20I against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Opening the innings, Sharma raced to his fifty in only 16 balls before accelerating further, needing just 14 more deliveries to bring up his century. He was eventually dismissed for 108 off 34 balls , an innings built on 9 fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate north of 317. The knock comfortably eclipsed Rohit Sharma's previous Indian record of a 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in 2017, and stands as the fastest T20I century by a batter from any ICC Full Member nation — behind only Estonia's Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey's Muhammad Fahad (29 balls) on the all-time list, which also includes Associate nations. It was Sharma's third T20I century, moving him behind only Rohit Sharma (5) and Suryakumar Yadav (4) on India's all-time list. His innings powered India to 221/7 , with Afghanistan set a stiff target of 222 to win the dead-rubber finale of the series.
Adeeb Usmani's 95 Seals UAE's 3-0 T20I Series Whitewash of Malaysia
UAE completed a 3-0 T20I series whitewash of Malaysia , winning the decider by 59 runs at Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur behind a sensational innings from wicketkeeper-batter Adeeb Usmani . Usmani, who only debuted for UAE earlier this year after becoming one of the first cricketers granted UAE citizenship, smashed 95 off 53 balls to set up the win, continuing an outstanding start to his international career that already includes a century and two other fifty-plus scores across his first eight ODIs. He proved an able deputy at the top of the order for regular opener Muhammad Waseem, who missed the series while playing in Europe's ETPL. The result caps a dominant tour for UAE, who also won the first two T20Is by six and seven wickets respectively, with Usmani's fine form running throughout the series. The bounce-back comes on the back of recent Asia Cup qualification heartbreak for the UAE, offering a timely confidence boost as the squad returns home, where several players will look to press their case for ILT20 contracts via an upcoming development tournament in Dubai.
Pakistan Women Edge Thailand by Three Wickets in Rain-Reduced Asian Games Thriller
Pakistan Women edged out Thailand by three wickets in a rain-reduced thriller at the Women's Asian Games, chasing down 92 in an 11-overs-per-side quarter-final cut short by a wet outfield at Korogi Sports Park. Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl, with Nannapat Koncharoenkai the standout for Thailand, top-scoring with 49 off 38 balls including seven fours, though she was eventually trapped lbw by Fatima Sana. A late flurry from captain Naruemol Chaiwai , 10 off just 3 balls with a four and a six, helped push Thailand to 91 for 4, with Fatima Sana (2/22) the pick of the Pakistan bowlers. The chase was far from smooth for Pakistan, who lost regular wickets throughout. Shawaal Zulfiqar struck 25 off 14 balls at the top, while captain Fatima Sana played a crucial hand with 21 off 13, and Tuba Hassan's late 13 off 7 helped steady the innings after a mid-innings wobble that saw Pakistan slip to 88 for 7. With the required rate mounting, Pakistan got over the line with two balls to spare, reaching 92 for 7 in 10.4 overs. The result sends Pakistan through to the semi-finals, while Thailand's promising campaign ends at the quarter-final stage despite Koncharoenkai's fine individual innings.
Jasprit Bumrah Rested for India's T20I Series Against West Indies, Hardik Still Unavailable
Jasprit Bumrah has been rested from India's T20I squad for the upcoming series against West Indies , continuing the team management's careful workload management of the pace spearhead across formats. Hardik Pandya also remains unavailable, extending his absence from India's white-ball plans. Bumrah's rest comes after a heavy recent workload across Tests, ODIs and franchise cricket, with the selectors continuing to rotate him strategically to manage his fitness ahead of bigger assignments later in the season. His absence opens the door for India's other pace and spin options to stake a claim in the T20I setup, with Arshdeep Singh , Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav all included in the squad announced for the series. The five-match T20I series against West Indies begins October 6 in Lucknow and runs through to October 17 in Bengaluru, following the three-match ODI series that starts September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Sri Lanka's Nilakshika Silva Ruled Out of Asian Games With Fractured Finger
Sri Lanka have been dealt a blow ahead of the Women's Asian Games, with all-rounder Nilakshika Silva ruled out of the entire tournament after fracturing a finger, forcing a late change to their 15-member squad. Silva's absence is a significant loss for Chamari Athapaththu's side, given her regular contributions with both bat and ball in recent internationals. She had already been left out of Sri Lanka's squad announcement alongside Vishmi Gunaratne and Chetana Vimukthi, but this latest injury news confirms her participation is off entirely. Teenager Chamudi Praboda , who impressed during Sri Lanka's run to the Women's Asia Cup final, and 19-year-old Rashmika Sewwandi have both been added to the squad as Sri Lanka look to bolster their depth. Sri Lanka enter the Asian Games on the back of a runner-up finish at the Women's Asia Cup, having lost the final to India by 72 runs, and open their campaign against Malaysia on September 18 as they chase a first Asian Games cricket gold, having previously won silver at Hangzhou 2022.
Bangladesh vs China Asian Games Opener Abandoned Due to Wet Outfield, Points Shared
The opening match of the Women's Asian Games 2026 cricket competition was abandoned without a ball bowled , with the first quarter-final between Bangladesh and China called off due to a wet outfield at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. The toss was delayed as ground staff worked to dry the outfield, but persistent dampness ultimately forced officials to call off the match entirely, with no toss taking place. Under the tournament's regulations, both sides were awarded one point each for the abandoned contest. Bangladesh, led by Nigar Sultana and featuring experienced campaigners like Nahida Akter and Marufa Akter, had entered the knockout fixture as firm favourites against a China side making its way up through the qualifiers. The washout means both teams' Asian Games campaigns effectively begin from scratch, with the tournament's knockout format offering no immediate second chance for either side to prove themselves on the field.
India Announce ODI and T20I Squads for West Indies Series, Gill and Iyer to Lead
The BCCI has announced India's ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming home series against West Indies , with Shubman Gill continuing as ODI captain and Shreyas Iyer retained as T20I skipper. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli keep their places in the 50-over squad, with Rohit's spot coming under scrutiny after a mixed run in England before a match-saving 137 at Lord's. KL Rahul is vice-captain, with Dhruv Jurel as the second wicketkeeper. All-rounder Naman Dhir and pacer Auqib Nabi earn maiden call-ups, while Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya both miss out once again. India's ODI squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (vc), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir. India's T20I squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma (vc), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav. The three-match ODI series begins in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, followed by Guwahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3, overlapping directly with the Asian Games in Japan. The five-match T20I series then runs from October 6 in Lucknow through to October 17 in Bengaluru. Alongside the announcement, the BCCI also confirmed two changes to India's separate Asian Games squad : Varun Chakaravarthy has been ruled out of the Asian Games with a side strain and replaced by Vipraj Nigam , while Nitish Kumar Reddy has been withdrawn from the Asian Games squad and will instead join the ODI squad against West Indies.
Abhishek Sharma Rises to No. 2 in T20I Rankings, Robinson Hits Career-Best No. 3 in Tests
A flurry of ICC ranking movements have followed a busy week of white-ball and Test cricket, with several Indian and English players climbing the charts. Abhishek Sharma has risen to No. 2 in the men's T20I batting rankings, overtaking Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan, while Ishan Kishan continues to hold the No. 1 spot. In T20I bowling, Jasprit Bumrah has climbed to No. 10 and Arshdeep Singh has moved up to No. 14, reflecting India's growing depth across white-ball formats. Australia's Nathan Ellis has also enjoyed a significant rise, jumping 20 places to No. 20 in the ODI bowling rankings after his 5 for 31 against Zimbabwe, while Matt Renshaw has entered the ODI batting rankings at No. 68 following his maiden century in the same match. In the Test rankings, Ollie Robinson has reached a career-best No. 3 in the bowling charts, overtaking Jasprit Bumrah, capping a stunning series in which he took 21 wickets at an average of 6.66 during England's 3-0 sweep of Pakistan. Teammate Josh Tongue has also climbed into the world's top 11 on the back of the same series.
Harry Brook Becomes First Full Member Captain With Two T20I Centuries in a Calendar Year
Harry Brook has become the first captain from a Full Member nation to score two T20I centuries in the same calendar year, after his unbeaten 114 against Sri Lanka followed his maiden format hundred scored earlier this year against Pakistan at the T20 World Cup. Brook's first century as captain came in February, a memorable 100 off 51 balls in the Super Eights that helped England reach an unprecedented fifth consecutive World Cup semi-final, a knock that was itself the first century by a captain in the tournament's history. His second, an explosive 114 not out off 49 balls in Southampton this week, underlined the remarkable consistency he has shown since being handed England's white-ball captaincy following Jos Buttler's resignation after the 2025 Champions Trophy. The milestone adds to an extraordinary run of leadership form for the 27-year-old, who has already collected Test centuries, ODI hundreds and now multiple T20I tons while juggling captaincy responsibilities across all three formats. With England's white-ball revival continuing to gather pace under his leadership, Brook's record-breaking year shows little sign of slowing down as the side builds toward next year's assignments.
Brook's 114 and Buttler's Six-Hitting Record Power England to 119-Run Win Over Sri Lanka
England made an emphatic start to their T20I series against Sri Lanka , winning the opener by 119 runs at the Rose Bowl in Southampton behind a sensational century from Harry Brook . Brook reached his hundred off just 42 balls and finished unbeaten on 114 from 49 deliveries , continuing his extraordinary red-hot form in the format. Captain Jos Buttler provided the perfect foil with a rapid 80, a knock that also moved him past Rohit Sharma into second place on the all-time list for most sixes in men's T20I cricket. The pair's explosive stand propelled England to a daunting 254 for 4, comfortably their platform for victory before a ball had even been bowled in Sri Lanka's reply. Sri Lanka's chase never got going against a total of that magnitude, with the tourists bowled out well short as England cruised to a statement win to open the three-match series. Kevin Pietersen watched on in his first outing as England's new white-ball mentor, with the series continuing in Cardiff on Thursday before concluding at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Renshaw's Maiden Century and Ellis' Five-For Give Australia 1-0 Lead Over Zimbabwe
Australia began their return to Zimbabwe after 12 years with a 59-run win in the first ODI at Harare Sports Club, powered by Matt Renshaw's maiden century and a career-best five-wicket haul from Nathan Ellis , to take a 1-0 series lead. After being sent in, Australia recovered from a wobble at 107 for 4 as Renshaw anchored the innings, sharing stands of 72 and 74 with Alex Carey and Oliver Peake to reach 109 off 94 balls , his maiden ODI hundred and the first century by an Australian against Zimbabwe since Michael Clarke's 105* in 2004. It also marked the first century by an Australian batting at number six or lower against Zimbabwe. Australia posted 294 for 8, with 20-year-old Newman Nyamhuri the pick of the bowlers, claiming his maiden ODI five-wicket haul with figures of 5 for 62, removing both Renshaw and Mitchell Marsh among his five victims. In reply, Zimbabwe were undone by Nathan Ellis , who struck twice in his very first over to leave the hosts reeling at 44 for 3. Craig Ervine (59) and captain Sikandar Raza (57) shared a defiant 98-run stand to briefly rekindle hope, but Spencer Johnson's yorker to bowl Raza swung the match firmly back in Australia's favour. Ellis returned to mop up the tail, finishing with 5 for 31 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 235 with 4.5 overs unused. The second ODI follows later in the series as Australia look to seal victory with a match to spare.
Sanju Samson's Fastest T20I Fifty Seals 7-Wicket Win as India Go 2-0 Up vs Afghanistan
India wrapped up the second T20I with plenty to spare, chasing down 160 with a 7-wicket win at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi to move 2-0 up in the three-match series against Afghanistan . Afghanistan were sent in to bat after India won the toss, and once again it was Rahmanullah Gurbaz who fell cheaply, chopping on in the first over. Ibrahim Zadran (37) and Darwish Rasooli (26) provided some resistance, but the middle order never quite got away, with Nitish Kumar Reddy the pick of the bowlers at 3/24 . A late flourish from Rashid Khan (28) and Mohammad Nabi (20) lifted Afghanistan to a competitive 159/8 . India's reply was every bit as brutal as the series opener. Sanju Samson smashed his fastest T20I fifty off just 22 balls on his way to 57 , adding 88 with Abhishek Sharma (39) inside the powerplay, in which India raced to 82. Rashid Khan pulled things back with 3/36 , removing both openers and Shreyas Iyer, but Ishan Kishan (38 not out) and Tilak Varma (15 not out) closed it out with more than five overs unused. With the series already sealed, the third and final T20I will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Varun Chakaravarthy Ruled Out of Remaining Afghanistan T20Is, Asian Games in Doubt
Varun Chakaravarthy has been ruled out of the remainder of India's T20I series against Afghanistan with a side strain, with his participation at the Asian Games later this month also now in doubt. The timing is harsh for the spinner, who had just worked his way back into India's white-ball plans on the back of a strong T20 World Cup campaign, finishing as one of the tournament's standout performers with 14 wickets, and a dominant IPL season as a middle-overs enforcer. His variations, sliders and carrom balls had repeatedly broken up top-order batting units, helping him re-establish himself as an near-automatic pick in India's white-ball setup. India play a historic first-ever T20I against Japan on September 22, before their Asian Games campaign begins in Nisshin on September 28, where India go in as defending champions under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy. With Chakaravarthy's fitness now uncertain heading into that tournament, the team management will need to assess replacement options across the squad's spin-bowling resources in the coming days.
Kevin Pietersen Rejoins England Setup as White-Ball Mentor Through 2027 World Cup
Kevin Pietersen has officially rejoined the England fold, appointed as a specialist mentor for the men's white-ball teams through to the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, more than a decade after his international career ended in acrimonious circumstances. Pietersen links up with Brendon McCullum's coaching staff starting with the ongoing T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, joining a group that already includes Marcus Trescothick, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel and Sarah Taylor. He will miss England's ODI tri-series in Pakistan in October but will be involved on winter tours to Australia and South Africa, before home series against Pakistan and New Zealand next summer leading into the World Cup itself. "Putting on the England uniform again for the first time since 2014 is a profound honour and a deeply special moment," Pietersen said. His international career ended following the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash amid what then-director of cricket Andrew Strauss described as a "massive trust issue" with the ECB, with Strauss revealing at the time that Pietersen had actually turned down a similar white-ball advisor role back then. The 46-year-old scored nearly 14,000 international runs across 104 Tests, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is, and was Player of the Tournament when England won the 2010 T20 World Cup, with the ECB citing his South African upbringing as valuable local knowledge ahead of next year's tournament.
Aneurin Donald Handed England T20I Debut Against Sri Lanka, Archer Rested
Aneurin Donald will make his England T20I debut in the series opener against Sri Lanka at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, opening the batting alongside Jos Buttler after being handed a surprise call-up by white-ball coach Brendon McCullum. The 29-year-old Derbyshire batter comes in for the injured Phil Salt, who is out with a quadriceps issue, with Jacob Bethell (knee) and Sam Curran (groin) also unavailable. Donald earned his promotion off the back of an explosive Vitality Blast campaign, striking 489 runs at a rate of 214 with a tournament-high 37 sixes, and further caught McCullum's eye with a blistering 38 off 19 balls for Trent Rockets in last month's Hundred final. The Swansea-born wicketkeeper-batter, who previously played for Glamorgan and Hampshire before joining Derbyshire in 2023, becomes the county's first homegrown England men's international since Simon Jones in the 2005 Ashes. At 29, he becomes England's oldest batter to make a maiden T20I appearance since David Malan in 2017 . Jofra Archer has been rested after playing all three Tests in England's recent 3-0 sweep of Pakistan, with Josh Tongue retained in the T20I squad despite also featuring throughout that series. Sonny Baker is set for just his second T20I cap. The three-match series continues in Cardiff on Thursday and concludes in Manchester on Saturday, before both sides switch to a three-match ODI series beginning September 22.