India will host West Indies for a five-match T20I series beginning at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on October 6. Shreyas Iyer will captain the side, with Tilak Varma named vice-captain. The remaining matches are scheduled for Ranchi on October 9, Indore on October 11, Hyderabad on October 14 and Bengaluru on October 17.

India enter the series after winning the Asian Games gold medal and defeating West Indies 2-1 in the preceding ODI series. West Indies avoided a clean sweep by chasing 352 in the third ODI through Shai Hope's unbeaten 162. Both teams were fined for slow over-rates in that match, with India docked 20 percent and West Indies 10 percent of their match fees.

The India squad includes Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav and Naman Dhir. West Indies will be led by Shai Hope.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam says he was not consulted before the PCB sent seven players home and altered the coaching staff during the ongoing Test series against England. Azam said the decisions came as a surprise to him as well.

The changes followed Pakistan's two defeats in the first two Tests at Old Trafford and Headingley. The board launched an internal inquiry into the team's performance and personnel.

Azam confirmed he remains fit to lead in the final Test at Edgbaston, where Pakistan will field a significantly reshaped squad.

Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar took two wickets each as East Zone reduced South Zone to 242 for six on day three of the Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. East Zone had posted 708 in their first innings.

Shami and Mukesh bowled attacking lengths that made the surface appear easier than it was for the batters. South Zone trailed by 466 runs at stumps.

An umpire pulled up Shami during the session over excess sweat on the ball under MCC laws. East Zone maintained their grip on the match heading into day four.

Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar each took two wickets on day three as East Zone cut South Zone down to 242 for six in the Duleep Trophy final. South Zone trail by 466 runs after East posted 708 in their first innings.

Umpires stepped in during the final session when they spotted excess sweat on the ball, with South Zone already five down in their chase.

Tilak Varma finished unbeaten on 53, carrying his bat through the final overs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Ricky Ponting has acquired an ownership stake in Australia Champions ahead of the World Championship of Legends season three. David Warner will captain the side in the tournament scheduled later this year.

Ponting's involvement marks his first formal franchise role since retiring from playing. Warner returns to competitive cricket after stepping away from the Australian set-up following the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The squad will be finalised once remaining player signings are confirmed. Several other former Australia players are expected to feature in the team.

South Zone reached 242 for six at stumps on day three of the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 53 while Shreyas Gopal fell on the cusp of stumps.

East Zone had posted 708 in their first innings, led by Ishan Kishan's 270. Mohammad Shami and Mukesh Kumar each claimed two wickets for the visitors as South Zone's middle order collapsed.

South Zone still trails by 466 runs with four wickets remaining. The match enters day four with the visitors needing one more substantial partnership to avoid an innings defeat.

On-field umpire Virender Sharma pulled up Mohammed Shami during the 60th over of South Zone's second innings on day three of the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai. The incident occurred with South Zone five wickets down in their chase of East Zone's first-innings score of 708.

Shami and Mukesh Kumar took two wickets each as East Zone reduced South Zone to 242 for six by stumps. South Zone trails by 466 runs.

Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 53 for South Zone at the close.

Former India batter Yuvraj Singh and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla extended birthday wishes to India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill on Tuesday. Gill turned 27 and received messages from both figures acknowledging his leadership role across formats. His net worth exceeds 30 crore rupees, supported by his 16.5 crore IPL salary with Gujarat Titans, a five crore BCCI contract, and brand endorsements.

Gill recently scored 40 runs off 21 balls at a strike rate of 190.48 in his first T20 innings since the IPL 2026 final. The birthday messages coincide with Gill's continued captaincy across Test and ODI sides. His commercial portfolio includes deals with Puma, CEAT and boAt.

Gill holds multiple ODI records, including the fastest Indian to reach 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 ODI runs. He is also the youngest player to score an ODI double century.

Cricket Australia confirmed the sale of the Melbourne Renegades licence under its self-determination privatisation model. The decision allows private investors to purchase the franchise outright while the current BBL and WBBL seasons proceed unchanged. The governing body stated that Test cricket retains scheduling primacy despite the ownership change.

Fans expressed concern that private investment could alter the league's character and accessibility. The Renegades sale is expected to close before Christmas, with no timeline given for similar transactions involving other teams. Investors have been notified that overlapping Test matches will continue during the BBL window.

The model permits clubs to shape their own ownership structures rather than following a uniform template. CA said safeguards remain around player availability for international commitments.

England have named a 15-player squad for the four-match Youth ODI series against Pakistan. Surrey's Ralphie Albert will captain the side. The opening match begins at Arundel Castle Cricket Club on September 9.

The series forms part of England's age-group programme ahead of next year's ICC Under-19 World Cup. Pakistan will field a side that recently toured Zimbabwe and features several players with senior domestic experience.

The remaining three matches will be played at the same venue. England have used the Arundel ground for age-group fixtures in recent seasons because of its reliable pitches and compact boundaries.

Joe Root will move up the list of all-time Test appearances when England face Pakistan at Edgbaston. The England captain has already played more Tests than any other player from his country. Root said honest opinions are welcome ahead of Kevin Pietersen's return to the white-ball setup.

Pietersen was appointed as a specialist mentor for England's white-ball teams ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Root endorsed the ECB's decision and backed opener Emilio Gay for a possible recall. The two-Test series begins later this month.

England last hosted Pakistan at Edgbaston in 2018, when Root scored 80 in the first innings.

Leicestershire faces charges of pitch tampering linked to a Bollywood movie shoot at the county ground. The production is alleged to have altered the playing surface, prompting an investigation by cricket authorities. The county is preparing its defence against the allegations.

The incident occurred during preparations for an upcoming fixture. Officials discovered changes to the pitch that breached ground regulations. Leicestershire said it is cooperating with the inquiry while contesting the charges.

Pitch tampering carries penalties under ECB and ICC codes. The county faces potential fines or sanctions if found responsible for the alterations.

Sree Charani retained the number one position in the Women's T20I bowling rankings after her recent performances. Deepti Sharma moved up to sixth place following her contributions in the Asia Cup. The rankings also showed gains for several other players across both batting and bowling categories.

Charlie Dean recorded notable improvements in the ODI all-rounders and bowling lists. Amy Hunter remained among the leading ODI batters. The updates reflect performances across the latest international fixtures.

The ICC releases these rankings at regular intervals based on player performances in recent matches. The changes indicate shifts in form among the top players across formats.

The England and Wales Cricket Board appointed Jonathan Trott as head coach of the England Lions on Monday. Trott replaces Andrew Flintoff, who stepped down to take charge of Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League. The 45-year-old former batter will lead the Lions on winter tours of the Caribbean, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Trott previously served as Afghanistan head coach from 2022 to 2026 and guided the side to its first T20 World Cup semi-final in 2024. He also worked as assistant coach with the senior England team during the pandemic and led the Lions to a 2-0 T20 series win over Sri Lanka on an interim basis.

Trott said the Lions experience had played an important part in his own development and that he looked forward to preparing the next generation for international cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has launched an investigation into media reports concerning discipline and conduct during the team's tour of England. Two players are understood to have had their mobile phones confiscated as part of the probe.

A PCB spokesperson confirmed on Monday that an inquiry is under way, though no individuals have been named. The investigation follows Pakistan's Test series defeat to England at Lord's.

Nine players were fined during Pakistan's recent tour of the Caribbean. The board urged the public to rely on official updates amid growing speculation surrounding the players.

Former Pakistan Test coach Jason Gillespie stated that the PCB chairman picks the captain in Pakistan and labelled the practice as nonsense. Gillespie said Pakistan needs strong leadership from cricket people within the board rather than political appointees.

Gillespie coached Pakistan in Tests for a brief period in 2024. He criticised the current structure where administrative figures influence selection decisions.

The comments come as the PCB investigates player conduct during the ongoing England tour and following the axing of seven players and two coaches during the series.