Hasaranga returns home for back rehabilitation after missing first two ODIs.
Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the ongoing three-match ODI series against England due to lower-back pain. The 29-year-old will return to Sri Lanka to begin rehabilitation after experiencing discomfort during a practice session. Hasaranga was part of the touring squad but did not play the first two ODIs.
Sri Lanka trail 1-0 after losing the opening match in Chester-le-Street by 89 runs. They reached 166 for 1 in 27 overs while batting first in the second ODI at Headingley. Sachindu Colombage and Dunith Wellalage are the two frontline spinners for Sri Lanka in the second match.
Hasaranga's absence will not affect Sri Lanka's Asian Games campaign, where they have selected a new-look squad. He is expected to be available for the T20I series against Pakistan starting October 9 in Rawalpindi, followed by an ODI tri-series also involving England from October 18 to 31.
Mark Wood retired from international cricket after a career hampered by injuries but marked by several memorable spells.
England fast bowler Mark Wood retired from international cricket on Tuesday at the age of 36. The Cumbrian took 253 wickets across 146 matches in all three formats since his debut in 2015.
Injuries kept cutting into his availability, yet Wood still produced bursts that stood out: 6 for 37 in the 2022 Ashes, 5 for 41 against West Indies in 2019, and match figures of 9 for 100 in Johannesburg in 2020. He lengthened his run-up on Michael Holding's advice and became England's fastest bowler by most metrics.
Wood said he was proud of playing four of the five Tests during the 2021-22 Ashes despite the series defeat.
Leicestershire were bowled out for 125 as Warwickshire's attack confirmed their relegation subject to appeal.
Warwickshire's march towards a ninth County Championship title continued at Edgbaston on Thursday as relegation-bound Leicestershire were crushed by the Bears' bowling attack. The visitors chose to bat first but collapsed for 125, effectively confirming their demotion subject to appeal.
Ethan Bamber took four for 42 and Chris Woakes claimed three for 20 as only Ben Cox with 33 and Sol Budinger with 27 resisted for long. Warwickshire reached 130 for four by the close, with Sam Hain unbeaten on 37.
Leicestershire will appeal against a 27-point penalty. Warwickshire's attack has now bowled out the opposition for less than 200 seven times out of nine this season.
Marco Jansen scored 75, took one wicket and held four catches as South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs in the first ODI at Kingsmead on Thursday. He joined Sachin Tendulkar, Younis Khan, Michael Clarke and Marnus Labuschagne as the only players to achieve the combination in an ODI.
Jansen's diving one-handed catch to dismiss Matt Renshaw in the deep mid-wicket region left Australia at 215 for seven. Keshav Maharaj took four for 20 while Bjorn Fortuin claimed two for 34 as Australia lost nine wickets for 101 runs after reaching 129 for one.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said the side felt pressure early in both innings but managed to post a competitive total and defend it. The Proteas lead the three-match series 1-0.
Jaydev Unadkat took 5-32 as Sussex took a 332-run lead over Hampshire on day two.
Jaydev Unadkat claimed the 25th first-class five-for of his career as Sussex closed in on victory over Hampshire. The Indian left-arm fast bowler took 5-32 as Hampshire were rolled for 128 on day two at the Utilita Bowl. Sussex had made 244 in their first innings, with Jack Leaning's 78 lifting them from 124 for seven. Tom Haines then made 99 not out as Sussex reached 216 for five and a lead of 332 runs by stumps. Hampshire's batting points total for the season stands at four after they failed to reach 250 in the first innings. The already-relegated hosts face a tough task to salvage the contest on day three.
Carey and Marsh fifties lift Australia to 322 before rain ends South Africa's chase; series ends 2-1 to Proteas.
Australia defeated South Africa by 45 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the rain-affected third ODI in Potchefstroom. Alex Carey scored 74 and Mitchell Marsh made 56 as Australia posted 322 for 9. South Africa reached 145 for 4 when rain ended play, 45 runs short of the revised target.
Xavier Bartlett took 2 for 25 and Adam Zampa claimed 2 for 34 to restrict the hosts. Ryan Rickelton remained unbeaten on 71 but received little support from the middle order. South Africa won the three-match series 2-1.
The match was overshadowed by injuries to Cameron Green and Matthew Renshaw. Green left the field with an abdominal issue after being struck while batting, while Renshaw suffered a wrist blow in the field. South Africa also lost Tony de Zorzi to a hamstring injury.
Indonesian official replaces Gurumurthy Palani on the ICC committee.
Abhiram Singh Yadav of Persatuan Cricket Indonesia has been elected to the ICC Chief Executives' Committee as one of three representatives for Associate Members. He secured 30 votes, ahead of Sarah Gomerall of Jersey with nine and Vignaesh Sankaran of Germany with three.
Yadav fills the vacancy created when Gurumurthy Palani was appointed to the ICC Board in July. He will serve on the committee until the next elections at the ICC Annual Conference in June 2027.
The committee position gives Associate Members a voice in cricket's global administration at a time when the sport is expanding its footprint beyond traditional Test-playing nations.
The Gujarat Titans opener spoke about lessons learned during his injury-enforced break from the India Test team.
B Sai Sudharsan struck a fifty in his first innings back after recovering from a toe injury that ruled him out of India's two-Test series against Sri Lanka. The 24-year-old was dismissed for 57 attempting a sweep shot against Todd Murphy in the first unofficial Test against Australia A in Puducherry. He was on course for another fifty in the second innings until a sweep shot went awry.
Sudharsan said the rehabilitation period was not frustrating and formed part of the natural journey players go through. He added that he felt how much he had missed being in the middle after his first innings return and stressed the importance of putting bowlers under pressure on deteriorating pitches.
Sudharsan is targeting a reserve opener's slot for India's tour of New Zealand. His absence allowed Devdutt Padikkal to score back-to-back hundreds and establish himself as frontrunner for the Test number three position with averages near 73 against spin.
Muhammad Shahzad broke Misbah-ul-Haq's record with a 49-ball first-class century.
Muhammad Shahzad scored the fastest first-class century by a Pakistani batter, reaching three figures in 49 balls for Pakistan Television against Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad on 24 September. The 22-year-old broke Misbah-ul-Haq's previous national record of 56 balls set against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014.
Shahzad finished with 114 off 62 balls, hitting 12 fours and eight sixes, and now sits eighth on the all-time list of quickest first-class centuries. He came in at 34 for three and added 143 for the fourth wicket with Mohammad Taha.
Shahzad has six first-class hundreds from 21 matches and previously represented Pakistan at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup before making his PSL debut with Islamabad United in 2025.
Adam Voges stressed Nathan Lyon's importance for Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Former Australia batter Adam Voges said Nathan Lyon remains crucial to Australia's plans for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy even at 38. He warned against letting Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins finish their careers at the same time.
Lyon has recovered from recent soft-tissue injuries and Voges believes the off-spinner still has a strong twelve months ahead in Indian conditions. Australia will have to manage the transition, but performance—not age—will decide who plays.
The former Western Australia captain also pointed to the strain of an ageing pace attack across an Ashes series, a home New Zealand series and the tour of South Africa.
Ajinkya Rahane dismissed claims that Rohit Sharma considered retirement over reported friction with selector Ajit Agarkar.
Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane said reports of Rohit Sharma's retirement stemmed from speculation rather than any confirmed rift with selector Ajit Agarkar. Rahane said the retirement discussion had been exaggerated and that the issue should now be set aside after Agarkar is expected to leave the role.
Rahane spoke ahead of India's three-match ODI series against West Indies, which begins on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram. He said the public focus on Rohit had overshadowed the team's preparations for next year's World Cup in South Africa.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli trained with the squad at Greenfield International Stadium on Thursday. Both players are set to feature in the series as India build toward the 2027 tournament.
Mumbai Indians have appointed Luke Williams as head coach for the 2027 Women's Premier League season. Williams replaces Lisa Keightley, who has left the franchise to take up a role with Cricket Australia.
Williams has won two Women's Big Bash League titles with Adelaide Strikers and guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden WPL title in 2024. He has also been an assistant coach with the England women's team since 2025 and was part of Southern Brave's coaching staff during their inaugural Hundred triumph.
Mumbai Indians have won two of the four WPL editions held so far, lifting the trophy in 2023 and 2025 under captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Williams will take charge ahead of the 2027 season.
Aakash Chopra said the IPL 2027 mini-auction in Goa will lack the star names needed for record bids and defended the wide reversal during India's win over Japan.
Former India batsman Aakash Chopra said the IPL 2027 mini-auction in Goa will lack high-profile players capable of attracting record bids. He told viewers on his YouTube channel that teams are expected to retain their cores for the final season of the current cycle, leaving a shallow pool of released players. Chopra added that the auction will still allow franchises to make small course corrections rather than major overhauls.
The BCCI confirmed the auction will take place in Goa on December 15 and 16, returning to Indian soil after three successive overseas editions. Chopra questioned why the board has struggled to secure a suitable hotel during India's December wedding season and suggested a long-term partnership could solve the recurring logistical issue.
Chopra separately defended the umpiring decision that reversed a wide call during India's two-run win over Japan. He said the reversal followed current ICC rules that treat switch hits and reverse sweeps identically and award the benefit of the doubt to the bowler once the batter changes stance.
Aakash Chopra defended the umpiring decision that sparked cheating allegations after India's narrow win over Japan.
Former India batsman Aakash Chopra said the overturned wide call during India's two-run win over Japan did not amount to cheating. The decision came in the final over and drew social-media criticism after India secured the narrow victory. Chopra stated that the umpires followed current ICC rules when they reversed the original call.
Chopra explained that the regulations treat switch hits and reverse sweeps identically and award the benefit of the doubt to the bowler once the batter changes stance. He added that his initial reading of the law was incorrect and that he had checked the wording after the match. He also said the reversal was not the result of pressure from Indian players.
The former opener argued that claims of unfair play were being made by people who wanted to criticise India regardless of the facts. He did not comment on whether the same outcome would have applied under earlier interpretations of the wide rule.
Nicholas Pooran will lead Royal Desert Champions in the relaunched Abu Dhabi T10 with Phil Salt and Sherfane Rutherford as direct signings.
Nicholas Pooran has been confirmed as captain and Icon player of Royal Desert Champions, the newest franchise joining the Abu Dhabi T10 for the 2026 edition. The team, founded by entrepreneur Amit Narang, has also secured direct signings in England international Phil Salt and West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford.
Pooran has a long association with the Abu Dhabi T10 format and previously captained the West Indies national team in limited-overs cricket until 2024. Former Indian all-rounder Robin Singh has been appointed as team director for the franchise.
Royal Desert Champions will compete in the tournament running from November 7 to November 20 at Zayed Cricket Stadium. The official player draft is scheduled for September 30 in Abu Dhabi.
The BCCI completed its sponsorship bouquet for bilateral cricket with Muthoot Fincorp taking the title rights until March 2028. The deal covers 35 matches starting with the West Indies ODI series on September 27 and is valued around the base price of ₹4.85 crore per match. An official announcement is still awaited.
The board had earlier secured associate sponsorships with Campa, SBI Life and ChatGPT worth over ₹130 crore, a 44 per cent increase over the previous cycle. Muthoot previously sponsored Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Cricket accounts for 89 per cent of India's ₹18,864 crore sports economy, according to a recent WPP Media report.
During the sponsorship period, India will play five-match Test series against Australia in 2027 and England in 2028, alongside white-ball series against West Indies, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
Sahibzada Farhan replaces Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan's T20I captain with Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi also dropped from the shortest format squad.
Pakistan named Sahibzada Farhan as their new T20I captain on Monday. The 30-year-old takes over from Salman Ali Agha, who was dropped from the 15-member squad for the Sri Lanka series.
Farhan led Pakistan to the silver medal at the Asian Games 2026 and topped the run charts at the T20 World Cup 2026. Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi were also omitted from the T20I squad but remain in the ODI setup.
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in three T20Is from October 9 to 13 at Rawalpindi. The ODI squad for an upcoming tri-series retains Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Shukla takes charge of the batting unit for the five-day match against Jammu and Kashmir.
Current Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla has been appointed batting coach of the Rest of India side for the Irani Cup match against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar from October 1 to 5. Shukla has been Bengal's head coach for the past few seasons and the team lost in the semifinals to Jammu and Kashmir during the last edition of the Ranji Trophy. The 46-year-old former Bengal skipper played three ODIs for India in 1999 and represented the IPL championship-winning Kolkata Knight Riders side.
This is Shukla's first BCCI assignment. Debasish Mohanty will serve as the ROI side's bowling coach and Milap Mewada is the fielding coach. The five-day fixture carries added significance as Jammu and Kashmir earned hosting rights after winning their first Ranji Trophy title last season.
Shukla will work with the Rest of India batters as they prepare to face the same Jammu and Kashmir unit that eliminated his Bengal team in the semifinals. The appointment marks a meaningful progression in his coaching career after several seasons guiding Bengal through Ranji Trophy campaigns.
England seek a series-clinching win on Harry Brook's home ground.
England named an unchanged squad for the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley on Thursday. The hosts will look to seal the series after their 89-run victory in the opener at Durham.
Sri Lanka made one change, bringing in Eshan Malinga for the injured Dilshan Madushanka. The tourists need to improve their batting after five players scored in single digits in the first match.
England lead the three-match series 1-0. The third ODI will be played at The Oval on Sunday.
England seek a series-clinching victory while Sri Lanka look for batting improvement.
England named an unchanged XI for the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley. The hosts will look to wrap up the series after their 89-run win in the opener.
Sri Lanka made one change, introducing Eshan Malinga in place of the injured Dilshan Madushanka. The tourists must improve their batting after five players scored in single digits at Durham.
The third ODI will be played at The Oval on Sunday, with England leading the series 1-0.
