Pakistan bowling came to the fore after Mohammad Hafeez's unbeaten fifty as they defeated World T20 defending champions Sri Lanka by 15 runs in their warmup match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday. Hafeez struck an unbeaten 70 from 49 balls to help Pakistan post 157/5 before they restricted Sri Lanka for 142/9 in front of a cheering crowd of more than 10,000. Sri Lanka were wayward with their bowling especially in the death overs and bowled eight wide balls, including five from Dushmantha Chamara, further helping Pakistan's cause.
Bangladesh's local media reported on Wednesday, quoting sources in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that Ridhima was axed from the BPL.
Kuldeep Yadav has a good record in T20 Internationals with 69 wickets in 40 matches at an economy rate of 6.77, with a best of 5/17 against South Africa.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is attempting to repair strained relations with the BCCI after pulling out of the T20 World Cup in India, seeking to revive India's white-ball tour in September.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal welcomes Pakistan's decision to play India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, saying a boycott would have hurt the tournament's charm and finances.
Out-of-form Sri Lanka must play every pool game at the World Cup as if it were a knockout match to ignite their stuttering campaign, captain Angelo Mathews said.
Sri Lanka - who shocked England so spectacularly in Leeds last week - must now beat West Indies and India in their final two games if they are to stand any chance of making the final four.
ICC officials to visit Bangladesh to resolve T20 WC imbroglio
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav says the team is focused on preparing for their T20 World Cup clash with Pakistan despite concerns about potential rain disruptions.
This will also be India's first T20 bilateral series in Bangladesh and first exclusive white-ball tour since 2014.
Bangladesh women's pacer Jahanara Alam has alleged that captain Nigar Sultana Joty "beats up" junior cricketers, a charge that has been rejected by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Tharanga is set to miss at least the first Test against Bangladesh later this month after suffering a hairline fracture in his left foot.
India Women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur emphasises the importance of the T20I series against South Africa for World Cup preparation, highlighting the need to provide opportunities to all players and build momentum.
The United States and India are on the verge of finalising a landmark bilateral trade deal, aiming to boost trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, according to US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bethany Poulos Morrison. The agreement seeks to open India's 1.4 billion-strong market to American goods on reciprocal terms, with ongoing high-level discussions to recalibrate the pact after recent changes in US tariff policy.
Hinting that their ace pacer Lasith Malinga may miss their ICC World Twenty20 Super 10 opener against Afghanistan, Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews on Wednesday said they are yet to get a 'yes or no' about his availability. "We are yet to get yes or no from physio. He will have net session tomorrow. We will test his bowling on Thursday and will wait. "He bowled a couple of overs with short run-up. He will bowl with full runup tomorrow and we will take a call," he said. Concerned about his slow recovery from knee injury, the 2014 World T20 winning skipper handed the captaincy baton to the ODI and Test skipper Mathews just ahead of the tournament.
The Sri Lanka team have complained to organisers of the World Cup about the pitches rolled out for their games and are also unhappy with the quality of their accommodation.
Yet to receive any response from ICC: BCB chief Bulbul
The result was the first drawn game in Galle for 12 years.
It is unclear whether the spinner will return for the tournament where Sri Lanka will play Bangladesh in a Super 4 match in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
As the tournament's only unbeaten team, India now waits to see who will emerge victorious from Thursday's winner takes all clash between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Kumar Sangakkara became the first batsman to hit four successive centuries in a World Cup and Tillakaratne Dilshan stroked a fluent hundred in Sri Lanka's 363-9 against Scotland in a Pool A match at Bellerive Oval on Wednesday.
Shafali Verma, Sneh Rana and Renuka Singh Thakur, who were part of India's ODI World Cup triumph last month, attended the morning prayers.
Sri Lanka head coach Sanath Jayasuriya has lauded India opener Abhishek Sharma's fearless batting, crediting the team management for allowing the youngster to play his natural game.
Parameshwori Devi scored a brace as defending Champions India routed hosts Sri Lanka 5-0 to brighten their semi-final chances in the Women's SAFF Championship, in Colombo on Sunday.
A wellspring fuelling the CJP tsunami is the high levels of youth unemployment. Millions of youngsters, including extremely over-qualified people, apply in desperation for any job that is advertised. No government has been able to deliver on this front and things may get worse as artificial intelligence enters the workforce, points out Devangshu Datta.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said the Indian team was always mentally prepared to face Pakistan in the T20 World Cup and the recent confirmation of their participation has only strengthened their focus on cricket.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha on Monday said the players will follow whatever instructions are given to them by the government or the cricket Board with regards to boycotting the marquee T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo.
'It was just bad decisions. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn't make the best shot selections.'
The fit-again duo of opening batsman Virender Sehwag and pacer Zaheer Khan is all set to return to the Indian squad after missing the Asia Cup when the selectors meet in Mumbai on Wednesday to choose the side for the upcoming cricket tour of Sri Lanka.
England-born Richard Pybus has been appointed as the head coach of the Afghanistan cricket team, replacing Jonathan Trott.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) accused former selection committee chief Kapila Wijegoonawardena of hurting the morale of the national team ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 campaign by making "inaccurate and misleading" statements in the media. "Mr Wijegoonawardne's statements are inaccurate, misleading, and defamatory, and furthermore are of the nature to cause grevious injury to the moral of the Sri Lanka cricket team, currently intent on bringing home the ICC World Twenty 20," a statement from SLC read. Wijegoonawardena was fired by the Sports Minister last week and was replaced by former batsman Aravinda de Silva. In a statement later, Wijegoonawardena accused that he was victim of politics and a selection committee would not be required in future as politicians would be handpicking the team. He alleged that the decision to remove Lasith Malinga as captain and the team for the ongoing World T20 had been discussed at a team hotel room during the Asia Cup held in Bangladesh.
With just days to go before the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 begins, the spotlight is not only on the players but also on the voice that will set the tone - Shreya Ghoshal's stirring anthem, Bring It Home.
An Indian national sustained a minor injury in Abu Dhabi after debris from an intercepted ballistic missile fell in a residential area. Emergency teams responded to the incident, and authorities urged the public to rely on official sources for information.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will attend the Pakistan-India T20 World Cup match in Colombo and is expected to hold talks with ICC officials to ease tensions after a recent boycott threat.
Lahore Qalandars announced the direct signing of Mustafizur Rahman for the Pakistan Super League's Season 11 following the release of the Bangladesh pacer by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.
Suranga Wellalage, Sri Lankan all-rounder Dunith Wellalage's father, died on September 18, the same day his son played the Asia Cup Group fixture against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
The ICC stood firm on not changing the original schedule, in which Bangladesh is in Group C with Italy, New Zealand, the West Indies and Nepal.
India's football faces a setback as it receives only one play-off slot for the 2027-28 AFC Challenge League, the third tier of Asia's club structure, due to administrative issues and declining performance.
The 2026 T20 World Cup is likely to be played from February 7 to March 8 with matches spread across at least five venues in India and two in Sri Lanka.
