Former England Test captain Ben Stokes has signed for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League. The 35-year-old retired from international cricket in June and will be available for the entire BBL-16 season.

Stokes returns to Australian franchise cricket after a 12-year absence. The signing gives Adelaide a world-class all-rounder for the upcoming campaign.

The deal positions the Strikers as one of the stronger teams in the competition with an experienced overseas player at the core of their lineup.

India A will play three four-day matches in New Zealand as part of their preparation for future Test assignments. The series follows a similar pattern to India A's recent tour of Sri Lanka.

Devdutt Padikkal scored 328 runs at an average of 109 in three innings during the Sri Lanka series that India won 1-0. Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta believes Padikkal's improved technique makes him the clear choice for the No. 3 position.

Players including Dhruv Jurel, Saransh Jain, and Gurnoor Brar also gained match experience ahead of the full team's tour. The A-series is designed to give emerging players exposure before senior international cricket.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif criticised Babar Azam for failing to support mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed during recent turmoil. Latif said Babar stayed quiet while the coach was sidelined, prompting questions about the current captain's leadership approach.

Babar met King Charles III at Clarence House on 2 September along with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and the squad. He presented a signed bat as a goodwill gesture during the meeting that came amid Pakistan's 2-0 deficit in the three-Test series against England.

Babar's leadership has faced increased scrutiny following the team's poor performance on the tour that concludes next week.

South Delhi Superstarz clinched the Delhi Premier League 2026 title after defeating Central Delhi Kings in the summit clash on Sunday, August 30. The tournament concluded with the final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Sarthak Ranjan and Anshuman Hooda were named in the Team of the Tournament for their performances throughout the competition. The league featured several players with first-class experience.

The victory gives South Delhi Superstarz their first DPL title in the competition's short history.

Narayan Jagadeesan has shared life-changing advice he received from MS Dhoni during his five years at Chennai Super Kings. The wicketkeeper-batter said the guidance struck him hard and shaped his approach to the game.

Jagadeesan spent five years in the CSK setup before moving to other franchises. He spoke about the interaction in an exclusive interview published on Friday.

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara separately picked an all-time India XI excluding MS Dhoni and several other recent teammates from his playing days between 2010 and 2023.

A former India fast bowler is reported to have delivered a ball measured at 156 kph during a domestic match. The speed surpassed Allan Donald's recorded best at the time.

The report states the delivery occurred before electronic speed guns became standard in Indian domestic cricket. The bowler also took a hat-trick on debut and claimed 87 wickets in a single season.

No name was released in the report published by Hindustan Times.

Lionel Messi won two Copa America titles with Argentina in 2021 and 2024, along with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He was also part of Argentina sides that finished runners-up in Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016, and World Cup finals in 2014 and 2026.

Messi played 207 games for Argentina and finished as the all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, 21 of them in World Cups. He sits second behind France's Kylian Mbappe by just one goal in World Cup scoring.

His international career spanned 21 years and delivered Argentina's first World Cup title in 36 years.

Lionel Messi has retired from international duty following the death of his father Jorge Messi on August 8. The forward played 207 matches for Argentina and scored 125 goals, finishing as the country's all-time leading scorer.

Messi had already drafted his farewell letter two days after the World Cup final. His father's passing prompted him to confirm the timing of his retirement.

Messi's wife wrote that their children saw their father never give up during his international career. He ranks second behind France's Kylian Mbappe by one goal in World Cup scoring.

Lionel Messi has retired from Argentina duty after 207 matches and 125 goals. He scored 21 goals in World Cups, one short of France's Kylian Mbappe.

Messi drafted his farewell letter two days after the 2022 World Cup final. His father's death on August 8 prompted the final decision to step away.

Messi's wife shared the announcement publicly. Argentina will now look to build a squad without their all-time leading scorer for upcoming qualifiers.

Hardik Pandya's return to competitive cricket has suffered another setback after he developed a leg niggle during rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The all-rounder had been progressing well before the latest discomfort forced him to stop bowling temporarily.

Pandya has been ruled out of India's three-match T20I series against Afghanistan starting September 13 in New Delhi. He remains under observation by the medical team.

The injury adds to concerns within the team management about his fitness ahead of future white-ball assignments.

Siddhesh Lad has been appointed Mumbai captain for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season, replacing Shardul Thakur. Lad was Mumbai's highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy last season and takes over to help manage Thakur's workload. The change was confirmed ahead of the upcoming domestic season.

Lad described the captaincy as a matter of pride and said he hopes the team can cross the winning barrier in the upcoming season. Suryakumar Yadav or Shreyas Iyer will lead Mumbai in the white-ball formats, depending on their availability.

Mumbai reached the quarter-finals under Thakur last season. Lad takes over as the side aims to end their title drought that stretches back to the 2015-16 season.