From the Cricket World
4 short reads across Cricket World: McCullum confused by stories of rift as Stokes returns. Bren • England ease into semi…
Quick sweep of stories worth flagging — each summarised in a line.
• McCullum confused by stories of rift as Stokes returns. Brendon McCullum denied any rift with Ben Stokes, calling him a good friend after the pair reunited ahead of the third Test. McCullum said neither knew where rumours of tension originated and expressed relief at having the 'band back together'.
• England ease into semi-finals with win over Windies. England secured their place in the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals with a 38-run victory over West Indies at Lord's, powered by contributions from Danni Wyatt-Hodge and the bowlers. The win came despite controversy surrounding a DRS decision involving Hayley Matthews.
• Mushfiqur credits former trainer Karppinen for transforming his work ethic. Bangladesh legend Mushfiqur Rahim praised former national trainer Stuart Karppinen for changing his approach to fitness, saying he still follows the advice and remains competitive in fitness tests against younger players.
• Athapaththu's statement ton powers Sri Lanka's rout of Ireland. Chamari Athapaththu scored a century as Sri Lanka Women defeated Ireland Women convincingly in the Women's T20 World Cup, keeping their semi-final hopes alive in the group stage.
• Ben Stokes discusses the intense pressure on England ahead of the Trent Bridge Test, his return as captain after the nightclub incident, and his relationship with coach Brendon McCullum.