Monica Wright, the estranged wife of Australia vice-captain Ashleigh Gardner, demanded that Cricket Australia remove Gardner from the leadership role over an alleged affair with teammate Georgia Voll. Wright said CA's silence implies support for the conduct.

Cricket Australia responded that it considers the matter private and personal, adding that all relationships within its workforce must comply with its Respect at Work policy. Gardner has received support from her WBBL franchise, the Sydney Sixers.

Wright and Gardner married in April 2025 and separated after the relationship deteriorated during the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup. Gardner has since moved out of their Sydney home and begun divorce proceedings.

Irfan Pathan says Pakistan media published a fake story claiming he tried to interview Babar Azam and got turned down. Someone had taken a photo of a young Bangladeshi reporter who'd been refused and stuck Pathan's face on it. The piece picked up more than a million views on social media before the lie surfaced.

He spoke about it on JioHotstar's Cheeky Singles and shrugged it off. These things happen often enough that he doesn't bother answering each one — otherwise he'd never get on with his day.

Pathan played 141 Tests between 2003 and 2012, scoring 2,821 runs at 26.12 with one hundred and eleven fifties. With the ball he took 301 wickets at 29.85, including nine five-wicket hauls. In the IPL he turned out for Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions.

Pakistan all-rounder Hamza Nazar got a two-year ban from all domestic and international cricket after the PCB ruled he gave incomplete and misleading information on his visa application. The board also slapped him with a PKR 1 million fine. A three-member inquiry committee heard his defence before delivering its findings.

The 27-year-old had played 16 first-class matches, 15 List A games and 10 T20s, scoring 1,005 runs and claiming 47 wickets. Last month the selectors added him to Pakistan's red-ball training camp in Lahore ahead of the two-Test series against West Indies.

Andrew Flintoff has resigned as head coach of England Lions after less than two years in the role. The 48-year-old will focus on his position with Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League. He thanked England managing director Rob Key for the opportunity to work with young players.

Flintoff led the Lions on their tour of South Africa in May and June. His side lost both four-day matches and two of three 50-over games. He previously coached Northern Superchargers in The Hundred for two seasons.

Mike Yardy will take over as interim head coach for the four-day match against Pakistan at Beckenham on August 12. The Lions will also play Sri Lanka in two T20 warm-up matches in September. ECB performance director Ed Barney said Flintoff transformed the Lions environment during his tenure.

Sri Lanka Cricket has decided that fans won't pay to watch India play two Tests this month. Galle hosts the first from August 15, and the SSC in Colombo stages the second between August 23-27. The board made the call after years of empty stands, even when India toured. Crowds were thin again during the Lanka Premier League, so the hope is that free entry might pull people back.

Former South Africa all-rounder Albie Morkel was appointed head coach of Joburg Super Kings ahead of the upcoming SA20 League season. Morkel replaces Stephen Fleming, who stepped down from all Super Kings head-coaching roles and was named England men's Test team head coach. Morkel played one Test, 58 ODIs and 50 T20Is for South Africa between 2004 and 2015. He has been part of the Joburg backroom since the franchise's inception and also served as a T20 consultant with South Africa and Namibia. Rupa Gurunath, owner of Joburg Super Kings, said Morkel understands the Super Kings philosophy and has built strong relationships with players and staff. The fifth edition of SA20 starts on January 17, 2027.

Shubman Gill sat out the opening day of India's warm-up against Sri Lanka XI in Colombo. He took an impact blow to his right ring finger in the nets, then again during slip-catching drills. KL Rahul stepped in to lead the side. Sri Lanka XI won the toss and made 363 for 8, with Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar each picking up two wickets. The BCCI medical team is watching Gill's finger ahead of the first Test on August 15. India are already missing Jasprit Bumrah with a knee issue, and Auqib Nabi has come in for him. Washington Sundar and Sai Sudharsan are out too.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has suspended all-rounder Hamza Nazar for two years and fined him Rs 1 million. A three-member committee reviewed the evidence, gave him a chance to respond, and found he provided misleading information on a visa application. Hamza had been performing well on the domestic circuit and was reportedly in contention for Pakistan's two-Test tour of the West Indies. The PCB says misrepresentation and non-disclosure breach the standards expected from anyone associated with Pakistan cricket. The ban covers domestic and international cricket.

India's preparations for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka enter a crucial phase with a three-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka XI beginning on Friday. The match was originally scheduled for four days but has been trimmed to three.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir told the team that every question must be answered before the first Test on August 15 in Galle. India last played Test cricket in June and need to reacquaint themselves with the longest format while adapting to Sri Lankan conditions.

Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the tour with injury. Auqib Nabi earned a maiden India call-up as his replacement. Washington Sundar's injury opened the door for Madhya Pradesh spinner Saransh Jain. Sai Sudharsan is expected to rejoin the squad before the first Test but will miss the warm-up.

Josh Hazlewood said Australia face several unknowns ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh, which begins in Darwin on August 13. The fast bowler noted that the Marrara Cricket Ground has not hosted a Test in 22 years, the pitch behaviour is unclear, and Bangladesh's approach in Australian conditions remains to be seen. He said plans may need to be adjusted during the game rather than relying solely on pre-match analysis. Hazlewood added that the pitch may offer less bounce and seam movement than typical Australian surfaces and could behave more like conditions in Bangladesh. The series is part of Australia's home summer but scheduled outside the usual November start.