Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer's inconsistent T20I batting form will be under the spotlight as Team India commences its five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Christchurch.
Captain Shreyas Iyer believes the return of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar will significantly address the Indian T20 team's lack of experience in its bowling attack, especially after recent series where new bowlers struggled.
Sanju Samson continued his superb form with the bat, smashing a blistering 67 off 33 balls to power India to their highest chase in T20 cricket, overcoming a mid-innings stumble for a four-wicket win in the series-opener against New Zealand.
Smriti Mandhana will lead the Indian women's T20 team in a three-match series against Zimbabwe in Raipur, marking the start of a new era. The series is crucial for India to address their T20 weaknesses in batting, fielding, and bowling, especially after recent World Cup exits, while Zimbabwe looks to build on their recent success.
India's bowling struggles in the ongoing West Indies T20I series have brought Jasprit Bumrah's absence into sharp focus. Despite conceding high totals, Sanju Samson expressed confidence in young pacers like Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav, highlighting the need for consistent backing.
Sunil Gavaskar has questioned men's T20I records involving Associate nations, proposing separate categories to account for differences in playing standards.
Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan set a new record for the most runs in a bilateral three-match men's T20I series with 238 runs, despite his side suffering an eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in the final match in Rawalpindi. Farhan scored his third consecutive half-century, surpassing India's Abhishek Sharma's previous record.
Indian pacers Nandani Sharma and Kranti Gaud have made significant advancements in the ICC Women's T20 Rankings following India's 2-0 series lead over Zimbabwe. Sharma climbed 26 places to 45th, while Gaud moved up nine spots to 43rd. Batters Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma also maintained or improved their positions.
Shreyas Iyer has climbed to a career-high fourth position in the ICC T20 International rankings for batters, following his strong performance in the ongoing series against West Indies
Former India player Cheteshwar Pujara believes that consistency is 'overrated' for top-order batters in T20 cricket, expressing confidence in Sanju Samson's ability to regain form with a single impactful innings.
New Zealand paceman Jacob Duffy has acknowledged India's 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an 'incredible talent' but expects home conditions to challenge the power-hitter in the upcoming Twenty20 series.
The Indian women's cricket team is set to complete a 3-0 T20I series sweep against Zimbabwe in the final match in Raipur, buoyed by strong performances from captain Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and debutant Niki Prasad.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced significant changes to its T20 leadership, dropping Salman Ali Agha as captain and appointing Sahibzada Farhan. The board also named squads for upcoming T20 and ODI series against Sri Lanka and England, with Shaheen Shah Afridi retaining ODI captaincy.
The fifth and final T20 International between India and the West Indies was abandoned due to persistent rain on Saturday, resulting in the series being drawn 2-2. India had scored 118 for five in 7.4 overs in the rain-shortened match before play was called off.
Shreyas Iyer-led India, unbeaten in their last two T20 series in New Zealand, will rely on their formidable batting lineup to overcome the relatively inexperienced New Zealand side in the upcoming five-match T20I series, despite having minimal time to acclimatise.
Sanju Samson smashed 56 off 22 balls to join India's 100-six T20I club as the team became the second nation to cross 2,000 sixes in the format.
India captain Shreyas Iyer reflected on the drawn five-match T20I series against the West Indies, suggesting India could have performed better with the ball in their lost games. West Indies captain Shai Hope expressed satisfaction with his team's progress despite missing a series win. India is now set to tour New Zealand for another five-match series.
Raipur is set to host all three matches of the India-Zimbabwe women's T20I series from October 16 to 20 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, with ticket sales opening on October 12.
Former captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls, and Shafali Verma added 69, guiding India to a commanding 92-run victory over Zimbabwe in the third and final T20I. This win secured a 3-0 series sweep for India, with Harmanpreet finding her form ahead of crucial assignments.
Sanju Samson defended India's bowlers after their 24-run defeat to the West Indies in the fourth T20, which levelled the series 2-2. He attributed the loss to Tilak Varma's dismissal as a turning point and praised Shai Hope's match-winning century. Samson also discussed the challenging conditions in Hyderabad and the need for emerging pacers to gain experience.
Abhishek Sharma joined India's 2,000-run T20I club with a blistering 69 off 30 balls, equalling Suryakumar Yadav's calendar-year sixes record and registering his seventh powerplay fifty.
New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips acknowledged India's successful chase of 226 in the first T20I, attributing their win to strong execution and adaptation. Phillips highlighted areas for improvement for his team, specifically the need to take more wickets in the middle overs and enhance fielding performance, despite defending their overall effort.
New Zealand batters Mark Chapman and Zak Foulkes have been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against India due to injuries, with Josh Clarkson and Blair Tickner named as replacements.
Four individuals, including the son of a Hyderabad Cricket Association member, were arrested in Hyderabad for allegedly selling complimentary tickets for the upcoming India vs West Indies T20 International match at inflated prices in the black market. Police acted on a complaint, apprehending the accused who obtained tickets through the HCA member's son and advertised them on social media.
Newly appointed India captain Smriti Mandhana has maintained her position as the world's top batter in the ICC women's ODI rankings. The latest charts also show other Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma featuring prominently across ODI and T20I batting, bowling, and all-rounder rankings, with India's teams holding third place in both T20I and ODI formats.
Smriti Mandhana added another landmark to her already impressive T20I career on Sunday, becoming the highest run-scorer in women's T20Is during India's Asian Games semifinal against Bangladesh.
Simon Harmer believes franchise T20 cricket has softened the fierce Australia-South Africa rivalry by turning international opponents into teammates, though he expects intense competition in the Test series.
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy emphasised the critical importance of winning both powerplays (batting and bowling) to defeat India in the ongoing T20I series. He highlighted the team's struggle to contain India in the initial overs while bowling and stressed the need for improvement. Sammy also defended all-rounder Roston Chase, praising his discipline and tactical understanding amidst criticism of his selection.
India face West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, needing one more win to seal the series as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan lead the batting charge.
India's captain Shreyas Iyer attributed the team's 24-run defeat against the West Indies in the fourth T20I to poor bowling execution. The loss levelled the five-match series 2-2, setting up a decider on Saturday. West Indies skipper Shai Hope and bowler Keemo Paul also shared their perspectives on the match and pitch conditions.
Experienced all-rounder Shadab Khan is expected to take over Pakistan's T20 captaincy from Salman Ali Agha, who faces removal from the shortest format squad. Major changes are anticipated in the Pakistan T20 team ahead of the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, with young players being prioritised and key bowlers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf potentially rested.
India Women secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the T20I series against Zimbabwe, winning the second match by nine wickets. Opener Shafali Verma scored a rapid 55, while captain Smriti Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47, chasing down Zimbabwe's target of 103 in just 8.5 overs. Indian bowlers had earlier restricted Zimbabwe to a low total.
Assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak explained the recall of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to India's T20I squad for the New Zealand series, citing his experience and strong IPL performances. Kotak also addressed questions regarding Mohammed Shami's absence and the reported involvement of VVS Laxman in selection meetings, while discussing India's ongoing winning streak and bench strength development.
Wasim Jaffer says India missed Rinku Singh's finishing prowess against West Indies, while cautioning against expecting Naman Dhir to bowl four overs and stressing his batting value.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the surprise inclusion in the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series in New Zealand starting later this month.
India face West Indies in the T20 opener as Gautam Gambhir weighs a key selection call between Sanju Samson and teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The third T20 International between India and West Indies in Indore is anticipated to be another high-scoring affair, with the Holkar Stadium's flat pitch and short boundaries favouring batters, putting immense pressure on bowlers after a 501-run fest in the previous match.
India dropped teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi despite his impressive Asian Games run, preferring Sanju Samson as Gautam Gambhir backed experience and resisted pressure to alter the winning combination.
India captain Shreyas Iyer credited Prince Yadav's 13-run cameo and other lower-order contributions for providing a crucial cushion in their 14-run victory over the West Indies in the third T20I.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed an unbeaten 188 off 79 balls for Titans, breaking Chris Gayle's T20 record with 13 sixes and 15 fours before narrowly missing a double century.
