While big buys grabbed attention, several franchises quietly walked away with proven performers at throwaway prices -- the kind of signings that often make the difference between mid-table finishes and title runs.
Rashid stars with ball, Banton seals chase as England beat Scotland to stay alive for Super Eights
Abhishek Sharma has been outstanding with the bat in T20 Internationals, having smashed two centuries and seven fifties to amass 1199 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 190.92.
As India gear up for the T20 World Cup at home, the selectors have backed a squad built on impact, and versatility.
Ishan Kishan's sensational comeback and Sanju Samson's inconsistent displays with the bat will reignite debate over who should be Abhishek Sharma's preferred opening partner.
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.
Steve Smith said the decision to drop Nathan Lyonwas taken to strengthen the pace-bowling department.
Scott Boland will step up and uncapped Brendan Doggett is tipped for a high-stakes debut to try to shore up the loss of a combined 604 Test wickets of experience.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Friday acknowledged that Sanju Samson has been going through a lean phase without doubting the quality of the struggling batter, and reiterated the team management's support for him.
In India's 100th T20I at home, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan struck explosive fifties as India chased down 209 with ease to beat New Zealand in Raipur, taking a 2-0 lead in the T20I series ahead of the World Cup.
'India never began well, and that's one of the main reasons they weren't able to chase these big scores,'
Abhishek made a 20-ball 68 to lead India's thunderous chase, and he admitted it was not easy to bat in the same tempo all the time, but a task he is happy to shoulder for the team.
Aaron George delivered a match-winning masterclass, smashing a sensational century to steer India into the ICC U19 World Cup final with a record chase of 311 against Afghanistan in Harare on Wednesday.
Last minute T20 World Cup entrants Scotland have included Afghan-born uncapped pacer Zainullah Ihsan in their 15-member squad for the ICC event beginning in India and Sri Lanka on February 7.
New Zealander Glenn Phillips is fast emerging as one of the few batters who appear to have cracked the Varun Chakravarthy puzzle in the first T20I in Nagpur.
Nitish Reddy fails with bat as Vidarbha take first-innings lead against Andhra
MI have managed just two wins from five outings, while Delhi Capitals are last with three losses from four matches.
Mandhana, Voll guide RCB to fourth consecutive win in WPL
Mohammed Siraj returned 17-3-56-4 to help Hyderabad bowl Chhattisgarh out for 283 on Day 1 of their Group D Ranji Trophy contest, in Hyderabad, on Thursday.
Riding on momentum gained from Mumbai win, Punjab to take on Saurashtra in VHT semis
Atharva Taide slammed a century to power Vidarbha to a 38-run win over Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final.
IMAGES from the ICC 2026 T20 World Cup match played between England and Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday
'We've seen glimpses of his brilliance, and hopefully he can build consistency over the next few games heading into the World Cup.'
Group C promises one of the most competitive battles at the T20 World Cup, with former champions England and West Indies joined by ambitious sides Scotland, Nepal and debutants Italy.
India's absolute dominance at home will come under examination when they meet a determined New Zealand in the decisive third ODI at the high-scoring Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, with the three-match series locked at 1-1.
A wicket-laden Boxing Day Test at the MCG triggered widespread debate, with former cricketers from both Australia and England questioning whether the pitch offered far too much for the bowlers.
NZ will lean on Kyle Jamieson to lead pace attack, Kristian Clarke to debut: Michael Bracewell
Royal Challengers Bengaluru rode on a century partnership between Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh before off-spinner Shreyanka Patil produced a magical five-wicket haul to beat Gujarat Giants by 32 runs and register their third consecutive win in the Women's Premier League, in Navi Mumbai, on Friday.
England are unlikely to tinker with their side for the second Ashes Test against Australia starting in Brisbane next week despite being thumped in the opening match, their former fast bowler James Anderson said.
Indonesia's Gede Priandana became the first bowler to claim five wickets in an over in a Twenty20 International.
South African pace legend Allan Donald perceived that Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket a touch sooner, but said the star Indian batter has the hunger to keep himself going till the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Ishan Kishan's thrill-a-second maiden T20I hundred compensated for Sanju Samson's familiar failure, and the knock in conjunction with Arshdeep Singh's fifer scripted India's 46-run romp over New Zealand in the fifth and final match in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
Touching 160kmph means more to me than any wicket I''ve taken: New Australian Hall of Famer Lee
Despite flashes of talent, Sam Konstas' domestic form -- marked by erratic shot choices and a lack of consistent runs -- has intensified debate over Australia's opening options for the Ashes.
Wasim Akram said some of his team-mates still blame him for that defeat.
While the first India vs New Zealand ODI will be played at Vadodara, the second match will get underway at Rajkot. The teams will face off for the final ODI of the series at Indore.
The former South African batter pointed out that Rana does not have a lot of international experience with the new ball, but is well supported in the pace department.
UP Warriorz will lean heavily on new captain Meg Lanning as they seek to bounce back after finishing bottom of the standings last season.
Abhishek Sharma's pyrotechnics followed a now familiar script with India out-batting New Zealand by 48 runs in the opening T20 International in Nagpur on Wednesday.
The ICC said that 'clarity is awaited' on Reddy's participation in the World Cup after the freak accident in her follow-through.
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