Dawlat Ahmadzai, the newly appointed Afghanistan Cricket Board High Performance Centre Manager, has identified regional HPC centres as central to the country's cricket development. He outlined a three-to-five-year plan to decentralise high-performance training and create a unified national player pathway.

The strategy aims to expand talent identification beyond Kabul and improve access to structured coaching across provinces. Ahmadzai said the focus will be on building consistent pathways from age-group to senior level.

Afghanistan will host the first phase of the programme in the coming months.

Josephine Nkomo will lead Zimbabwe in the upcoming T20I series against South Africa after recovering from injury. She missed the white-ball tour of Pakistan but has been cleared to return for the three-match series.

Nkomo was named captain before the Pakistan tour but did not feature due to the injury. The series marks her first assignment in charge of the national side.

Zimbabwe have not announced the squad or schedule details for the series. The matches represent Nkomo's first opportunity to lead the team in international cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the schedule and squads for the eight-team President's Trophy Grade-I first-class competition. MIT Solutions and Kingsmen Academy will make their first-class debuts this season.

The tournament features departmental sides competing for the domestic first-class title. The new additions expand the competition from its traditional six-team format.

Fixtures and venues will be confirmed in the coming days. The competition serves as a primary platform for Pakistan's domestic first-class players.

India's bowling coach Morne Morkel is currently in South Africa sorting out his work visa renewal and is expected to rejoin the squad in a few days. The delay meant Morkel missed a preparatory session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium ahead of the Afghanistan T20I series.

Morkel's absence during the session raised questions about support staff availability before the three-match series that begins on September 13. The South Africa-based coach is on a two-year deal with the BCCI.

India team physio Kamlesh Jain is also reportedly on his way out of the setup amid concerns over recurring player injuries.

MS Dhoni has pushed for an Indian-led coaching setup at Chennai Super Kings following the departure of long-serving head coach Stephen Fleming after the 2026 season. Reports indicate that former CSK player Hemang Badani has emerged as the frontrunner for the position.

Dhoni's preference for an Indian support staff marks a significant shift in franchise direction after three disappointing IPL seasons. The franchise is preparing for a major overhaul of its team management structure.

Badani's emergence comes as CSK seeks to rebuild its competitive edge through a leadership approach aligned with the franchise's domestic development philosophy. The transition reflects broader changes across the IPL in coaching appointments.

MS Dhoni has pushed for an Indian-led support staff as Chennai Super Kings search for a successor to Stephen Fleming. Former India batter Hemang Badani has emerged as the frontrunner for the head coach role.

Dhoni is understood to favour continuity with an Indian coach who knows the franchise environment. The team last won the IPL in 2023 and has shown inconsistency since.

The franchise is expected to finalise the appointment before the next auction cycle.

Shaheen Shah Afridi will represent Khan Research Laboratories in the President's Trophy. The left-arm pacer returns to domestic cricket following Pakistan's tour of England.

Salman Agha has been named vice-captain of Kingsmen Academy in a separate development. The appointments come as Pakistan looks to rebuild its domestic structures.

Afridi last featured in the President's Trophy before establishing himself in the national side.

Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Blake signed a multi-year contract with Leicestershire after opting to leave Surrey at the end of the 2026 season. Blake had been involved at The Oval since he was nine but saw limited opportunities.

The 24-year-old turned professional only in 2022 and will join Leicestershire ahead of the winter transfer window. He made his first-class debut for Surrey in 2023.

Leicestershire are looking to strengthen their wicketkeeping options ahead of the 2027 County Championship season.

Chennai Super Kings have confirmed that MS Dhoni holds over one lakh shares in the franchise worth approximately Rs 3 crore. The clarification came after reports suggested Dhoni had asked for a 25 per cent stake before reducing it to 20 per cent. CSK stated that Dhoni never asked for additional equity in the team.

Dhoni's current shareholding makes him a minority owner of the franchise. His stake is worth a fraction of his estimated net worth of Rs 1,200 crore. The former captain continues to be associated with CSK in a non-playing capacity.

CSK are also searching for a new head coach after Stephen Fleming's departure. Reports suggest Dhoni favours an Indian-led support staff for the franchise. Hemang Badani has emerged as a frontrunner for the role.

Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Essex batter Tom Westley with a wrong'un during the County Championship 2026. The India spinner produced the delivery on his county debut for Yorkshire.

Westley was set to build a substantial innings before the dismissal. Kuldeep finished the innings with figures that included the standout wicket.

The performance adds to Kuldeep's red-ball experience ahead of potential India selection. Yorkshire's match against Essex continues at Headingley.

Pakistan debutant pacer Razaullah returned figures of two for 42 from nine overs on the first day of the third Test against England. The 21-year-old impressed with pace and bounce on a surface offering early assistance.

England reached stumps with a narrow lead after a middle-order collapse restricted their scoring. Razaullah's figures came in a spell that broke a threatening partnership.

Pakistan have now lost the first two Tests of the series and trail 0-2. Razaullah's selection followed injuries to senior seamers.

Rinku Singh reached Dharamsala on Tuesday ahead of India's fifth Test against England, according to NDTV Sports. The visit is reported to be for a pre-T20 World Cup promotional photoshoot.

India face England in the final Test of the current series before the T20 World Cup cycle begins. Singh has not been included in the playing XI for the Dharamsala Test.

Selection discussions for India's T20 World Cup squad are expected to intensify once the Test series concludes.

Sarfaraz Khan's father has criticised social-media accounts for circulating unverified claims about his son's IPL future. He described the posts as rumours spread by fake profiles.

No official statement on Sarfaraz's IPL status has been released by any franchise or the BCCI. The player remains with Chennai Super Kings for the current season.

The family has urged fans to ignore unconfirmed reports until an official announcement is made.

Kumar Kushagra and Kounain Quraishi will resume East Zone's second innings at 212 for five on the final day of the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone. East Zone hold a 584-run lead after Ishan Kishan's 350-run match aggregate. South Zone's first innings ended at 242 for six, with Tilak Varma unbeaten on 53.

Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar took two wickets each in South Zone's first innings. An outright win for East Zone is the only result that can still alter the title outcome at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The pitch has flattened and East Zone's spinners will dictate terms on the final day.

South Zone must bat out the remaining overs to avoid defeat. The match heads toward a likely innings victory for East Zone.

Varun Chakravarthy says he still feels he's only in the first half of his cricket journey after a T20 World Cup triumph and recovering from the first muscle injury of his career. The mystery spinner reflected on rehab, the importance of equipment, and constant upskilling.

Chakravarthy expressed excitement about experiencing the Asian Games sporting village in Japan. He started cricket late and believes he has significant scope for improvement.

The Kolkata Knight Riders spinner will be part of India's squad for the Asian Games in Nagoya.