Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 29.
Australia's title bid will be tested by injuries and Asian conditions at the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan steamrollered Australia by 111 runs in the final Twenty20 International to complete a 3-0 series sweep on Sunday, signalling their preparedness for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup.
Steve Smith becomes the most expensive player in Pakistan Super League history after being signed by Sialkot Stallions for PKR 14 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets in an Indian Premier League match here on Thursday. Opting to bowl, LSG restricted KKR to 181 for four.
Marsh was nonetheless retained in Australia's list of contracted players released on Tuesday for the 2025/26 season in an endorsement by selectors.
Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer believes Rishabh Pant will excel as captain in IPL 2026 if he plays with joy.
'Look, they (India) are a fantastic team, one which we have great respect for and I think five-match series are going to provide a lot of excitement for the fans that are coming to watch.'
Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh expressed disappointment at the loss but praised India's all-round performance.
Pakistan grabbed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Twenty20 series against Australia after skipper Salman Agha led by example to secure their comprehensive 90-run victory in the second match in Lahore on Saturday.
Saim Ayub produced a brilliant all-round display to power Pakistan to a 22-run victory against a largely second-string Australia in the first Twenty20 international between the teams in Lahore on Thursday.
A versatile and dynamic Australian unit, without key pacer Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who is likely to miss the early stages of the tournament, will be going into the T20 World Cup with hopes of going deep in the tournament.
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
Gujarat Titans messed up on a golden opportunity to seal a top two spot in the league table as Lucknow Super Giants earned a consolation 33-run victory.
CA said the national selection panel will be meeting soon to name a replacement of Marsh, who was picked in the 15-member side for the competition alongside other all-rounders Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.
'...He'll provide us a good challenge...I think you want to be challenged against the best players in the world...'
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green smashed blistering hundreds as Australia steamrollered South Africa by 276 runs in the third and final One-Day International.
Sanju Samson's century, Punjab Kings' record 265 chase, Rinku Singh's Super Over heroics and standout knocks from KL Rahul, Abhishek Sharma and Virat Kohli headline an action-packed Week 4 of IPL 2026.
Players including Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, and Alyssa Healy highlighted the controversy in a playful, teasing manner.
Australia host the next T20 World Cup in 2028 but will be eyeing a bigger prize a few months before that when cricket is reintroduced to the Olympics in LA.
Mitchell Marsh has allayed concerns about his injury, declaring himself "good to go" for the pink ball second Test against India, which begins in Adelaide on December 6.
Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant was all praise for his team after in the 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians, saying his players held their nerve well in the Indian Premier League match in Lucknow on Friday.
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes Rishabh Pant should bat at No. 3 to maximise his impact in T20 cricket, urging him to balance his aggressive style with a more consistent approach.
Australia have tried and tested five openers in the format since David Warner had his last dance after last year's Caribbean World Cup. Marsh remained tight-lipped about the appearance of the rest of the batting unit but confirmed there were discussions about Tim David's place.
'With ETPL, we hope we can bring the magic of cricket euphoria to mainland Europe.'
Australia skipper Pat Cummins' chances of playing at next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka are "quite grey at the moment" as he battles a back stress issue that has affected his participation in the ongoing Ashes series against England.
Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell and hTim David will also be rested from the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29.
Former captain Ricky Ponting says the current Australian side lacked the aura that defined its past teams at ICC World Cups.
I don't want to feel any pressure about not bowling a certain ball because it's first ball: Ellis
Australia began their T20 World Cup campaign with a thumping 67-run victory over Ireland, in Colombo, on Wednesday.
A recap of the action of the third week of IPL 2026.
On Friday, in the second T20I against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Suryakumar Yadav lost yet another toss as Mitchell Marsh called correctly and opted to bowl first.
Form and familiarity favour India in T20 World Cup
The Aussie received a slew of brickbats for what Indians on X and Instagram felt was showing disrespect to the trophy.
The duo also scored half-centuries in the opening game against Delhi Capitals and shared the highest stand (for second wicket) in both games.
Formidable India have their tails up as they head to the gargantuan MCG for the second T20I against Australia here on Friday, thanks to the influx of young talent and the return to form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Pathum Nissanka's 52-ball hundred was the first century of this year's T20 World Cup and it could not have come at a better time for Sri Lanka.
Mitch Owen has been rewarded for his fine form in his first five Twenty20 internationals by being named in both of Australia's squads for short-format series against South Africa in the far north of the country next month.
Suryakumar Yadav-led India ready for Aussie challenge as T20 World Cup preparation begins.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
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