Tammy Beaumont commits to The Blaze until 2028 after retiring from England, having helped the side win a treble of domestic trophies in 2026.
Decorated former England batter Tammy Beaumont has signed a new two-year deal to remain with The Blaze after retiring from international cricket. The 35-year-old agreed new terms with the Trent Bridge-based side three months after she called time on her career with the national side.
She followed up her international exit by helping The Blaze to a clean sweep of major trophies in 2026, winning the T20 Blast, County Cup and One-Day Cup competitions. Her latest deal means she will play on until at least 2028, her 21st season in a career that started with Kent in 2007.
Beaumont has been with The Blaze since the team was renamed and relocated in 2022 from Loughborough. She scored over 2,600 runs in 78 appearances for the side and its predecessor, with more than 900 of those runs coming in 35 appearances this season. The Blaze head coach Craig Cumming said Beaumont would be an incredibly important part of the squad.
Four SA20 franchises will fill 19 remaining slots at Wednesday's auction in Johannesburg.
The SA20 Season 5 player auction will take place on Wednesday, October 7 in Johannesburg. Four of the six franchises will bid for players after Durban's Super Giants and Paarl Royals completed their squads ahead of the auction.
Joburg Super Kings enter the auction with the largest remaining purse of R20.6 million and six slots to fill. MI Cape Town have R3.6 million and six slots, while Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals have smaller purses and fewer positions. Each franchise must finish with a 19-player registered squad including a maximum of seven overseas players and at least two South African Under-23 players.
The auction will be streamed live on JioHotstar in India. Trent Boult, Moeen Ali, Kieron Pollard, Faf du Plessis and Wiaan Mulder are among the prominent names available.
Ganguly cites BCCI ombudsman order to address dual role concerns with his new IPL position while serving as CAB president.
Sourav Ganguly has rejected questions over potential conflict of interest linked to his appointment as Delhi Capitals head coach. The former India captain said an order from the BCCI ombudsman addresses his position while he remains president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Ganguly will take charge of Delhi Capitals for the 2027 IPL season, replacing Hemang Badani. He has held multiple positions with the franchise since joining in 2019, including Director of Cricket for both men's and women's teams. He also coached Pretoria Capitals to the SA20 final last year.
Yuvraj Singh is expected to join the backroom staff as batting coach. Chaminda Vaas and Amit Mishra are reportedly set to join the support team. Delhi Capitals finished sixth in IPL 2026 and have not reached the playoffs since 2021.
Ganguly cites BCCI ombudsman order to address dual role concerns with his new IPL position.
Sourav Ganguly has pushed back against questions about any possible conflict of interest after being named Delhi Capitals head coach. He pointed to a BCCI ombudsman ruling that covers his role while he stays president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
The 53-year-old will lead Delhi Capitals from the 2027 IPL season, taking over from Hemang Badani. Ganguly has worked with the franchise since 2019 and has filled several posts, including Director of Cricket for both men’s and women’s sides.
He recently guided Pretoria Capitals to the SA20 final. Yuvraj Singh is expected to become the new batting coach, and Chaminda Vaas and Amit Mishra are reportedly lined up for the support staff.
Ashwin believes a successful T20I series could put Bhuvneshwar on the plane to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Ravichandran Ashwin said Bhuvneshwar Kumar could force his way into India's ODI squad for the 2027 World Cup if he performs well in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Bhuvneshwar last played an ODI in January 2022 and has taken 28 wickets in IPL 2026 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Ashwin said the selectors will be watching the 36-year-old closely during the tour.
Kieron Pollard finally joins the Super Kings family after Joburg Super Kings signed him for R1.5 million at the SA20 Season 5 auction.
Kieron Pollard will play for a Super Kings franchise for the first time after Joburg Super Kings signed him for R1.5 million at the SA20 Season 5 auction. The move comes 16 years after Chennai Super Kings lost a bidding war for the Trinidadian at the 2010 IPL auction.
Pollard spent 13 IPL seasons with Mumbai Indians, scoring 3,412 runs and taking 69 wickets across five title-winning campaigns. He also represented MI Emirates in the ILT20 and MI New York in Major League Cricket before MI Cape Town released him ahead of this auction.
Joburg had the largest remaining purse entering the auction and used R1.5 million of their R20.6 million to secure Pollard, who went unopposed. The signing pairs him with Faf du Plessis in the yellow jersey.
NZC said it considered multiple expert reports before deciding to launch NZ20 instead of joining the Big Bash League.
New Zealand Cricket has defended its decision to launch a domestic T20 competition after criticism from former players and officials. NZC chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon said the board considered four expert reports before choosing to create NZ20 instead of joining Australia's Big Bash League.
The Deloitte report favoured exploring the Big Bash option for financial and governance reasons but left the final decision to the board. Puketapu-Lyndon said the six Major Associations and the New Zealand Cricket Players Association both supported NZ20 over the Australian league.
The board voted unanimously to proceed with NZ20. The competition was originally planned for this summer but has been postponed until the 2027-28 season to allow more time for establishment and to accommodate the international schedule.
Tanvir praises Kohli and Sharma's experience as valuable assets for Indian cricket's development.
Former Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir has described Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's continued presence in Indian cricket as a blessing for the sport. Tanvir said Kohli's numbers speak for themselves and highlighted the entertainment value both players have provided to fans worldwide.
Tanvir expressed his desire to see Kohli continue playing for as long as possible, drawing a parallel with Sharma. He argued that age provides a double benefit when players maintain fitness and performance levels, allowing senior players to guide younger teammates.
Kohli has amassed 9,230 Test runs, 15,109 ODI runs, and 4,188 T20I runs across his career. Sharma has been in impressive form in his last five ODI innings, including scores of 92 and 101 against the West Indies.
Naseeb Khan Zadran said the ILT20 partnership has created opportunities for 25 Afghan players in Season 5.
Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Naseeb Khan Zadran praised the ILT20 management for its approach that led to 25 Afghan players gaining contracts with the six franchises in Season 5. He called the tie-up between the ACB, Emirates Cricket Board and ILT20 an “incredible start” and thanked chairman Khalid Al Zarooni and commissioner Mubashshir Usmani for expanding opportunities for Afghan players.
Under the agreement, each franchise must keep at least four Afghan players in its squad and two must be named in every playing XI. The auction saw strong bids for Afghan cricketers, with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz earning “record amounts of money.”
Zadran said the deal gives Afghan players a professional route forward and will “continue to support our players and inspire a new generation of Afghanistan stars.”
BCB creates platform for fringe players after Tamim Iqbal's initiative.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board began the inaugural National Cricket League Second XI Championship on Tuesday across four venues. Eight divisional teams are competing in the three-day tournament, which ends with a final between the top two sides from November 11 to 13.
Young wicketkeeper-batter Gazi Mohammad Tahjibul Islam, left out of Dhaka's First XI, welcomed the chance to regain selection. He said without the Second XI he would have sat idle this season. Left-handed opener Minhazul Hasan Megh, playing for Rangpur Second XI, also backed the move after scoring two hundreds in the previous First Division season.
Former Test leg-spinner Jubair Hossain Likhon, included in Mymensingh's Second XI squad, hopes the tournament changes how domestic teams view spinners. Second XI players receive Tk 15,000 in match fees compared with Tk 1.5 lakh for First XI players.
Kapil Dev cautioned against early predictions about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying his future should be assessed after three more years rather than now.
Former India captain Kapil Dev said India should wait three more years before judging 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's long-term prospects. Sooryavanshi has been kept out of the playing XI for the first T20I against West Indies in Lucknow.
He cited Vinod Kambli as an example of a player whose early talent did not translate into a sustained career. Kapil said lifestyle and thinking changes matter more than current performances at this age.
Sooryavanshi has already scored the fastest fifty in List A cricket and smashed 175 in the Under-19 World Cup final. He made his India debut earlier this year but has not featured since Gautam Gambhir returned as head coach.
Baloda's 14-wicket haul on debut surpassed the previous Youth Test record by two wickets.
Tanmay Baloda took 14 wickets for 73 runs on his India Under-19 debut against Australia Under-19 in Ahmedabad, breaking Tim Southee's record of 12 for 92 set in 2007. The left-arm spinner claimed 6 for 32 in the first innings and 8 for 41 in the second.
Baloda was not originally in the squad for the 2026 Under-19 World Cup but earned his place through consistent domestic performances. He took 10 wickets in his first two Ranji Trophy matches for Haryana, including the wicket of Abhimanyu Easwaran twice.
India won the match by 10 wickets after Australia were bowled out for 174 and 108. Baloda's figures are the best match haul in Youth Test history.
Kohli's team denied the allegation and said visits stem from personal faith. No evidence has been presented to support the claim.
Virat Kohli's spokesperson rejected claims that the cricketer was paid Rs 5 crore to visit Premanand Maharaj's ashram in Vrindavan. The statement described the allegations made by Dinesh Sharma, also known as Falahari Maharaj, as completely false, baseless and factually incorrect. Kohli's team said he visits the spiritual leader out of faith and reverence.
The controversy began after the death of a disciple at the ashram on September 25. Sharma had claimed the payment was made to boost Premanand Maharaj's popularity. No evidence has been presented to support the allegation.
Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma have visited the ashram multiple times since January 2023. The spokesperson urged media organisations to verify facts before reporting such claims.
Virat Kohli's spokesperson rejects claims he received ₹5 crore to visit Premanand Maharaj's ashram, calling the allegation false.
A spokesperson for Virat Kohli rejected reports that the former India captain received ₹5 crore for a visit to Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan. The claim originated from Dinesh Sharma, who heads the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas and alleged that this sum had been arranged to bring Kohli to the site.
The spokesperson called the allegation completely false, baseless and factually incorrect, and added that Kohli’s trips to Premanand Maharaj were motivated solely by personal faith. The family’s first recorded visit occurred in January 2023 when Kohli, Anushka Sharma and their daughter Vamika attended a discourse.
Kohli stepped away from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in May 2025, keeping ODIs as his sole remaining international format. He continues to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru, scoring an unbeaten 75 in the 2026 IPL final, and is set to play a five-match ODI series against New Zealand starting in November.
Greenberg signals that expanding the World Test Championship to 12 teams will force smaller nations to confront financial sustainability questions.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said a 12-team World Test Championship including Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland is likely for the next two-year cycle. The expansion would give every Test nation an opportunity to participate in the longest format's premier competition.
Greenberg warned that countries would need to make hard financial decisions if ICC revenues decline or bilateral Future Tours Programme arrangements fail to generate sufficient income. The warning comes as the ICC working group, led by Roger Twose, prepares a revised proposal after an earlier two-division model was rejected.
The three additional nations currently have limited opportunities to play Tests against the nine existing WTC participants. Their inclusion would require sustainable funding mechanisms that smaller boards may struggle to maintain without increased ICC distributions.
Baloda's figures are the best match haul in Youth Test history, surpassing Tim Southee's 12 for 92.
Tanmay Baloda took 14 wickets in the second Youth Test against Australia U-19, finishing with match figures of 14 for 73. The left-arm spinner claimed eight for 41 in the second innings as India dismissed Australia for 151 to set up a target of 11. India completed the chase in five balls to win by 10 wickets and sweep the series 2-0.
Melbourne Renegades have signed New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell for the 2026-27 Big Bash League season. The 35-year-old will be available from the opening match on 12 December, becoming the second overseas signing after Jonny Bairstow.
Bracewell has captained New Zealand in both ODI and T20I cricket. His T20 numbers show more than 3,600 runs at a strike rate above 135 and over 100 wickets. The standout innings came in the 2022 Super Smash—an unbeaten 141 off 65 that remains the highest score in New Zealand domestic T20 history.
Ashleigh Gardner says her reputation has taken a hit since the public learned about her separation. The 29-year-old vice-captain is still in her role with the national side. She released her first public statement in August and spoke at length to The Australian on 6 October.
Gardner noted that athletes face questions about more than just their game. Her teammates, she said, still see her as a good person who made mistakes. Australia Women open a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh in Brisbane on 11 October.
Gill told reporters he is not in the T20I team when asked about India's Asian Games gold medal and the upcoming West Indies series.
Reporters surprised Shubman Gill with questions about the T20I side’s Asian Games success and plans for the coming West Indies series. The India ODI and Test captain said he could not comment because he is not in that squad. He added that he would now rest after the ODI series in New Chandigarh.
Gill has stayed out of the T20I group since late 2025. According to reports, the BCCI chose not to give him a third format so he can focus on Tests, ODIs and the 2027 World Cup build-up in Africa.
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are the current T20I openers. Gill is expected to play some domestic cricket soon, possibly for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy.
Travis Head has revealed he rejected a proposal to tamper with the ball during his time as South Australia captain. The Australia batter said the 2018 Cape Town scandal shaped his decision to refuse any manipulation of the ball even when results were poor.
Head, then 24, led a South Australia side that had finished bottom of the Sheffield Shield table for five straight seasons. Some players suggested preparing the ball for reverse swing after suspecting opposition teams were doing the same. Head told The Sydney Morning Herald that he made it clear such actions would not be tolerated under his leadership.
Head said the suspensions handed to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft showed that results could never justify crossing the line. He credited current Australia captain Pat Cummins with fostering an environment where players treat matches as games rather than defining moments.
