Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi Dar, whose non-selection in the Indian Test squad caused controversy, has been summoned to bowl in the nets ahead of the Test against Afghanistan, along with six others.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan in the upcoming Test and ODI tour of India, while IPL star Allah Ghazanfar earns a call-up after his impressive season with Mumbai Indians.
Pakistan has strongly condemned Afghanistan for allegedly harbouring terrorists responsible for a deadly attack on a police post, issuing a stern warning and demanding action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.
Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the upcoming series against Afghanistan is under consideration as the selection committee assesses his workload.
India's selectors have included Gurnoor Brar and Manav Suthar in the national squad for the upcoming Test and ODI series against Afghanistan, recognising their pace and spin capabilities.
Pakistani security forces killed at least 13 terrorists along the Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during operations in Mohmand and North Waziristan districts.
Afghanistan's anti-doping programme has collapsed since the Taliban's return to power, with no tests conducted for three years and the country's exiled anti-doping chief admitting there is currently 'no hope'. The programme faces numerous challenges, including a lack of Doping Control Officers, logistical issues, and political instability.
Rishabh Pant loses India Test vice-captaincy and is dropped from the ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, while K L Rahul returns as deputy and young players earn maiden call-ups.
Akash Deep and Harshit Rana are unlikely to be fit for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan and the white ball tour of United Kingdom as they are still some time away from getting fully match-fit, sources in BCCI said.
China's week-long mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan concludes without a formal agreement, though Beijing claims progress in exploring solutions to resolve their differences.
Former Afghanistan cricketer Shapoor Zadran is in intensive care in a New Delhi hospital, battling a rare and life-threatening disease called Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).
China is mediating talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan to address their ongoing military conflict, following Pakistan's operation against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and UN reports questioning Pakistan's evidence of militant presence in Afghanistan.
Officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China are meeting in Urumqi to discuss regional security concerns and potential confidence-building measures.
A joint Pakistan-Afghanistan jirga in Peshawar has called for an immediate ceasefire to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, emphasising dialogue and mutual respect.
Former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule has been appointed as the spin-bowling coach for the men's national team, commencing with the Test against Afghanistan. He brings extensive coaching experience from domestic cricket and the IPL.
Rookie spin bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey is focused on creating his own identity while representing India, following his maiden call-up for the Afghanistan Test and ODI series.
India has provided Afghanistan with 2.5 tons of medical supplies to assist those injured in a recent airstrike by Pakistan, which resulted in numerous casualties. This act underscores India's commitment to supporting the Afghan people during a difficult time.
China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to engage in direct talks to resolve their ongoing conflict, offering to mediate and calling for a ceasefire.
Ruturaj Gaikwad replaces injured Riyan Parag in the India A squad for the upcoming tri-Nation series in Sri Lanka.
Reports indicate Pakistan targeted Bagram airbase in Afghanistan as part of Operation Ghazab lil Haq, following alleged Afghan Taliban attacks. The operation aims to address the failure to stop terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil.
A close aide to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claims that Pakistan has achieved its targets in the recent military operation against Afghanistan, following attacks by Afghan Taliban forces along the border.
Pakistan has announced a temporary pause in its ongoing operation against the Afghan Taliban in response to requests from Islamic countries and in view of the upcoming Eid festival, following accusations from Afghanistan regarding an attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul.
Afghanistan spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar urged the international community, including India, to intervene after a Pakistani military airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul on Monday killed nearly 400 people.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's air strikes within Afghan territory, emphasising the need to respect Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity following civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
'The unexpected turn of events and assertion of sovereignty by the Taliban has baffled the Pakistan security establishment.'
Pakistan confirms its armed forces targeted terrorist hideouts and military installations in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, claiming the action was in response to attacks by the Afghan Taliban. The strikes, part of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeted technical support infrastructure and equipment storage used by terrorists, according to Pakistani officials.
Afghans have deep self-respect and are the last people to put up with humiliation. Is it any surprise that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have touched an all-time low and the two countries are now at war? asks M R Narayan Swamy.
Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on February 22, 2026, targeting areas in Bihsud district.
Cricket legend Dilip Vengsarkar has slammed the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for ignoring Ranji Trophy star Auqib Nabi for the Afghanistan Test, calling the decision 'absurd' and questioning the value of domestic cricket performances.
The father of young fast bowler Prince Yadav has described his son's maiden ODI call-up to the Indian team as a proud and emotional moment for the entire family.
Terrorists ambushed and killed four members of a local peace committee in northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said. The attack occurred in Dera Ismail Khan District, with terrorists also abducting a member and seizing weapons. Security forces have launched a search operation.
Several Afghanistan cricketers, including Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, condemned Pakistan's military airstrike at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabulinvestigation.
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina believes Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi should have been selected for the Test match against Afghanistan, highlighting his significant contribution to their Ranji Trophy victory.
Security forces in Pakistan have killed 11 terrorists in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during intelligence-based operations.
The strikes targeted the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, the 12th Brigade base in Quetta, Balochistan, and the Khoizai camp in the Mohmand Agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with other military sites housing key facilities and centres.
Selectors to consider Jasprit Bumrah's workload and Rohit Sharma's fitness when picking India's squads for the upcoming Test and ODI series against Afghanistan.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghanistan, calling them a flagrant violation of international law and hypocritical given the civilian casualties during Ramzan.
At least 14 militants were killed and several others injured in a clash between rival armed groups in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, police said.
'Islamabad feels it has no alternative, but to address the challenges from the Afghan-Taliban through an open war.'
The Indian Test team selection meeting in Guwahati will likely involve discussions about Rishabh Pant's future as vice-captain, Jasprit Bumrah's workload, and Suryakumar Yadav's form.
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