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Every story, honestly stated — and remembered.

Aug 31

India women's coach Amol Muzumdar said the team will settle the handshake question with Pakistan before their Asia Cup match on September 5. They open against Thailand in Dubai on Sunday, then meet Hong Kong on September 3.

Muzumdar said the players will be asked first, and the call will be made closer to the game. India last faced Pakistan in the 2024 Asia Cup final. Both sides sit in Group A for the 2026 tournament.

via NDTV Sports
BreakingNewsAug 31

Yash Dhull has been ruled out of North Zone's Duleep Trophy semifinal against South Zone after sustaining a hamstring injury. The top-order batter is unlikely to recover in time for the match starting on Sunday.

Dhull picked up the injury during North Zone's quarterfinal victory earlier in the week. Medical staff have advised rest and rehabilitation, with his availability for future matches uncertain.

North Zone will need to adjust their batting order without their regular opener. The team has named a replacement for the semifinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence ground.

via NDTV Sports, The Hindu
BreakingNewsAug 30

Shahid Afridi criticises PCB's England Test overhaul

Shahid Afridi calls PCB's mid-series squad overhaul the most shocking decision in Pakistan cricket after seven players and two coaches were removed following Lord's defeat.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has criticised the PCB's decision to overhaul the Test squad during the England tour. Seven players and two coaches were removed after Pakistan's 194-run loss at Lord's, which sealed the series 2-0 for England.

The overhaul included the addition of five uncapped players for the final Test. Misbah-ul-Haq has also offered his resignation from the selection committee following the changes.

Afridi called the move the most shocking decision he had seen in Pakistan cricket. The team now faces the task of avoiding a series whitewash in the final Test.

BreakingNewsAug 30

Sobhana Mostary recalls Bangladesh's 2018 Asia Cup win over India that changed everything

Sobhana Mostary believes Bangladesh's 2018 Asia Cup triumph over India brought a huge change in women's cricket in her country, with greater facilities and financial support.

Sobhana Mostary still sees it as the turning point. Bangladesh beat India in the 2018 Asia Cup, and the money and facilities that followed opened doors that had stayed shut for years. She moved to Dhaka as a teenager chasing a game that barely existed. Years passed before regular matches came. Harmanpreet Kaur's batting gave her something to copy — the balance, the power, the way she read the game. Now, eight years on, Bangladesh are back in the Women's Asia Cup against the same opposition, and the 2018 result still sits on the wall as proof that one win can shift an entire program.

via ESPNcricinfo, Times of India, Hindustan Times
Aug 30

Abhishek Sharma scores 77 off 26 balls in Sher-E-Punjab T20 League

Abhishek Sharma smashed 77 runs from just 26 balls in his first match of the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League. During his stay at the crease, Abhishek hit six fours and seven sixes to help his team post a total of 258 runs in 19.5 overs.

The innings continues Abhishek's aggressive approach that has defined his IPL performances for Sunrisers Hyderabad. His strike rate of over 296 in the league match reflects the same approach that produced multiple sub-20-ball fifties in the IPL.

The Sher-E-Punjab T20 League features several current and former IPL players preparing for the upcoming season. Abhishek's performance sets an early benchmark for the tournament's run-scoring standards.

Aug 30

An unnamed India batter told NDTV Sports that he does not want to talk about ODI cricket after playing 37 matches for the team. The right-handed batter scored 773 runs at an average of 25.76 and a strike rate of 105.02 in those games.

The batter made his admission during a recent interview following India's Asia Cup campaign. His comments come after the team has focused primarily on T20 cricket in recent months.

The player's ODI career spanned several series across different conditions. He has not been selected for recent limited-overs tours as India prioritises T20 cricket ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

via NDTV Sports
Aug 30

PCB advises players not to comment on Imran Khan imprisonment issue

Pakistan Cricket Board instructs players to avoid commenting on Imran Khan imprisonment controversy during England Test series.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has advised its players involved in the Test series against England not to comment on the issue of Imran Khan's imprisonment. The directive comes amid controversy over an interview given by Khan's sons.

PCB officials issued the guidance to maintain focus on the cricket series. Players have been instructed to avoid political discussions during the tour.

The Test series between Pakistan and England continues despite the political backdrop. Both teams have maintained their focus on the matches rather than external issues.

Aug 30

India now face a must-win situation in the current World Test Championship cycle after recent results left them with little margin for error. The team needs to secure victories in upcoming series to stay in contention for the final.

The WTC points system rewards consistent performance across home and away series. India have dropped points in drawn matches that could prove costly at the end of the cycle.

The team will need to balance the demands of the T20 World Cup and the Test Championship in the coming months. Selection decisions will reflect the dual priorities.

via The Hindu
VerifiedRecordAug 30

Deepti Sharma becomes leading T20I wicket-taker with 3 for 0 against Thailand

Deepti Sharma took 3 for 0 to become the leading T20I wicket-taker as India beat Thailand by 94 runs in their Asia Cup opener.

Deepti Sharma became the leading wicket-taker in women's T20Is during India's Asia Cup opener against Thailand in Dubai. The all-rounder took three wickets in 1.1 overs without conceding a run as India secured a 94-run victory.

Shafali Verma scored 64 runs to set up the total. Deepti reached her 150th T20I cap in the match, joining Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana in India's elite group of players with that many appearances.

The 12th woman to reach the milestone, Deepti has established herself as a key all-round contributor with both bat and ball across India's recent campaigns.

via Times of India, Hindustan Times
Aug 30

Mitchell Santner takes five for 16 as Edinburgh Castle Rockers defeat Dublin Guardians

Mitchell Santner took five for 16 to bowl Dublin Guardians out for 115 as Edinburgh Castle Rockers secured victory in the European T20 Premier League.

Mitchell Santner

Mitchell Santner claimed five wickets for 16 runs as Edinburgh Castle Rockers defeated Dublin Guardians in the European T20 Premier League. The New Zealand left-arm spinner was named Player of the Match for his bowling figures.

Santner elected to bowl first after winning the toss and put immediate pressure on the Guardians' batting lineup. Dublin were bowled out for 115 in 20 overs after struggling to build momentum against the spin attack.

The victory gives Edinburgh an early advantage in the ETPL standings. Santner's figures represent one of the standout individual performances in the tournament's opening round of matches.

via Sportstar, Livemint
BreakingNewsAug 30

Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue roll over Pakistan to give England series win

Ollie Robinson's 4 for 24 helped England complete a 194-run win over Pakistan at Lord's to seal their first Test series victory since December 2024.

England completed a 194-run victory over Pakistan at Lord's to seal a first Test series win since December 2024 with a match to spare. Ollie Robinson took 4 for 24 in the second innings to finish with match figures of 8 for 35, while Josh Tongue claimed 3 for 46. Pakistan were dismissed for 194 while chasing an improbable target of 389.

Robinson and Tongue combined with the rest of England's pace attack to dismiss Pakistan twice in four days. The victory gives England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and marks a successful start to Joe Root's second stint as captain.

The result leaves Pakistan at the bottom of the World Test Championship table with 15 defeats in their last 20 Tests, prompting significant squad changes ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.

via The Guardian, Cricket Australia, The Hindu
BreakingNewsAug 30

India opener Shafali Verma broke Laura Wolvaardt's record for most T20I runs in a calendar year during Tuesday's Asian Games final against Sri Lanka at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The 22-year-old scored 48 off 29 balls in the gold-medal match to reach 863 runs across 24 T20Is in 2026, surpassing Wolvaardt's 824. Verma also moved to fourth in the ICC Women's T20I batting rankings with 756 rating points. She scored her maiden T20I century in the semi-final against Bangladesh, becoming the first woman to score a century in Asian Games cricket. Her partnerships with Smriti Mandhana have now passed 4,000 runs in women's T20Is.

via NDTV Sports, Livemint, News18
OfficialNewsAug 30

England beat Pakistan by 194 runs in second Test at Lord's

England complete a 194-run victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Lord's to take a 2-0 series lead.

England defeated Pakistan by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord's after dismissing the visitors for 194 while chasing a target of 389 on the fourth day. Pakistan's second innings collapsed on Sunday after rain restricted play to 25 overs on day three.

England declared their second innings at 177 for seven to set up the substantial target. The victory gives England a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Pakistan now trail significantly in the World Test Championship standings and face an uphill task in the final Test at Edgbaston next week. England's bowlers capitalised on the target and conditions to finish the match inside four days.

via News18
BreakingNewsAug 30

Saud Shakeel scored 97 but fell short of a century as England completed a 194-run victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Lord's. Shakeel was caught by Harry Brook off Josh Tongue with Pakistan still needing runs.

Shakeel's innings was the only substantial contribution in Pakistan's second innings total of 194. The right-hander batted for over four hours but could not convert his near-century into a match-saving knock.

England's victory was built on another strong bowling performance, with Ollie Robinson taking four wickets in the innings. The win gives England a 2-0 lead with one Test remaining.

via BBC Sport, ESPNcricinfo
VerifiedRecordAug 30

Smriti Mandhana surpasses Suzie Bates with 10,756 international runs

Mandhana reaches 10,756 international runs to pass Suzie Bates during Asia Cup win.

Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana became the second-highest run-scorer in women's international cricket history during India's Asia Cup opener against Thailand on Sunday. She reached 10,756 runs to move past New Zealand's Suzie Bates.

Mandhana achieved the milestone while batting in India's total of 159 for nine. She now sits behind only Australia's Meg Lanning on the all-time list.

India defeated Thailand by 94 runs in the match. Mandhana has been India's most consistent batter across formats in recent years.

via ESPNcricinfo, Times of India, Hindustan Times
BreakingNewsAug 30

Rain forces draw between Hampshire and Glamorgan in County Championship

Rain stopped play with Glamorgan at 21 for 3, forcing a draw after Hampshire had set a target of 302 in the County Championship match at Cardiff.

Rain prevented a result in Cardiff as Hampshire's match against Glamorgan ended in a draw. Hampshire had set Glamorgan a target of 302 to win before reducing them to 21 for 3.

The weather interruptions on the final day left insufficient time for either team to force a victory. Glamorgan survived the brief period of play possible before the match was called off.

The draw leaves both teams with points from the match in the County Championship table. Hampshire remain in contention for promotion, while Glamorgan continue to battle relegation.

OpinionAug 30

Stuart Broad accused Imam-ul-Haq of putting on an act after the Pakistan opener was ruled out of the second Test at Lord's with a calf injury. Broad questioned the nature of the injury display after Imam failed to bat in Pakistan's second innings. Imam suffered the strain while fielding on the opening day and did not take further part in the match.

The accusation follows earlier reports that the PCB considered banning the batter after a 2025 probe found he had faked an injury. The comments add external pressure on the PCB's ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Imam's withdrawal. No official response has been issued by the PCB or the player.

Broad's comments come as Pakistan face significant turmoil on their tour of England, having already lost the series 2-0 and seen seven players plus head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed released ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.

via Times of India, Hindustan Times, Geo Super
AnalysisAug 30

Kaverappa, Rinku help South, Central Zone gain Day 1 edge in Duleep Trophy semifinals

Kaverappa's 4 for 48 restricted North Zone to 195, while Rinku Singh's 50 gave Central Zone 178 for 4 against East Zone on Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy semifinals.

Vidwath Kaverappa took key wickets as North Zone were bowled out for 195 on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy semifinal against South Zone. Rinku Singh scored 50 to give Central Zone a strong position against East Zone in the other semifinal.

Kaverappa struck in the middle order to restrict North Zone after an opening stand. His figures of 4 for 48 helped bowl out the opposition before stumps. Central Zone reached 178 for 4 at close, with Rinku Singh's fifty providing the backbone of the innings.

Both matches continue on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds in Bengaluru. South Zone will look to build on their first-innings advantage, while Central Zone need quick runs on the second morning.

BreakingNewsAug 30

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the Women's Asia Cup and Asian Games after sustaining a high-grade hamstring tear in The Hundred. The injury occurred during her stint with the Northern Superchargers.

Rodrigues was ruled out of India's Asia Cup opener against Thailand and will not feature in the remainder of the tournament. The Asian Games in Hangzhou have also been added to her list of missed events.

India coach Amol Muzumdar has acknowledged the team's need to adapt without Rodrigues' middle-order stability. The batter's absence creates opportunities for other players to fill the gap in the batting order.

via News18, Sportstar
InsightAug 30

NZC CEO says Indian tours contribute significantly to board's funding cycles

NZC CEO David Allott credited Indian tours with providing essential funding stability for New Zealand Cricket's operations and development programmes.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive David Allott stated that tours by India contribute significantly to the board's financial planning and revenue cycles. The former New Zealand pacer highlighted the BCCI's role in sustaining smaller boards' operations.

Allott made the comments while discussing NZC's financial strategy and upcoming domestic competitions. The board relies on bilateral series with major cricket nations to maintain its development programmes and player contracts.

NZC plans to launch a new domestic T20 competition called NZ20 as part of its efforts to grow the game locally. The financial stability provided by Indian tours allows the board to invest in grassroots cricket and infrastructure development across the country.

Editorially curated cricket coverage · May contain inaccuracies. Verify from official sources.