Mayank Yadav took three powerplay wickets at speeds up to 149.5 kph as India lost the second T20I by six wickets.
Mayank Yadav hit top speed again on Sunday in Ranchi, sending down three powerplay wickets against West Indies. He knocked over Kamil Pooran with a 143.6 kph short ball, had Shimron Hetmyer caught off a 144.5 kph delivery that jagged back, and finished Rovman Powell with a 149.5 kph snorter.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir told Yadav to bowl fast whenever he could, and the 24-year-old ditched the slower balls that had cost him in the first match. Yadav has spent the past two years battling a lumbar stress fracture, lower-back spasms and a hamstring tear that kept him to just seven competitive matches.
His effort wasn't enough to stop West Indies, who chased India's 249 for 6 with six wickets in hand. The series now sits at 1-1 ahead of Sunday's decider in Indore.
Pretorius's 188 off 79 balls broke Gayle's 13-year-old record for the highest individual T20 score.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 20, struck an unbeaten 188 off 79 balls for the Titans against the Knights on Friday, clearing Chris Gayle's 13-year-old mark of 175 not out. He struck 13 sixes and 15 fours as the Titans posted 267 for three, then bowled the Knights out for 143 to win by 124 runs.
Last month, carrying an injury, Pretorius had already made 101 off 53 balls for South Africa against Namibia. This innings came in the CSA T20 Challenge, where Tabraiz Shamsi took two wickets and Donovan Ferreira finished with three for 16.
Gayle's 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in the 2013 IPL season had stood as the benchmark since.
Parthiv Patel has confirmed Royal Challengers Bengaluru once looked at him to take over from Virat Kohli before the 2019 season. He was told to be ready for the role, but the plan fell through after head coach Gary Kirsten and bowling coach Ashish Nehra were replaced.
Moeen Ali had already hinted at the idea — that RCB wanted to promote Patel mid-season. Kohli stayed on anyway, kept the job until 2021, and the franchise waited until 2025 for Rajat Patidar to deliver its first title.
New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke will miss next month's home Test series against India as he continues rehabilitation from injuries to his left hamstring and calf. The 25-year-old suffered a hamstring tear during New Zealand's Test series win over England in June before hurting his calf in training in late August.
New Zealand coach Rob Walter said the decision prioritises O'Rourke's long-term fitness ahead of the four-Test tour of Australia beginning December 9. O'Rourke was set to feature in both the ODI and Test series against India, but discussions led to a conservative approach to his return.
New Zealand host India in five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests beginning with the opening T20I in Christchurch on October 22. Walter hopes O'Rourke can return for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield in late November.
Robin Das faces a five-day trial in January 2028 after appearing in court on twin rape charges.
Former Essex cricketer Robin Das appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Friday to face two counts of rape. The alleged incidents occurred in Brixton in March 2024. Judge Freya Newbury scheduled a five-day trial for January 2028 and released Das on conditional bail.
The 24-year-old was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in August 2025 and charged in July. Essex County Cricket Club suspended him after the charges were filed and did not renew his contract at the end of the season. The club stated the alleged offences took place outside club activities.
Das made 60 appearances for Essex across all formats, scoring a century on his first-class debut against Ireland in 2023. He also played in the Bangladesh Premier League for Dhaka Dominators.
New Zealand Cricket unveiled a limited-edition Kotahitanga ODI shirt on Saturday to mark 100 years of sporting ties with India. The design blends Maori kowhaiwhai patterns with Indian lotus, ogee and mandala motifs.
Three artists collaborated on the shirt: Maori designer Ben Thomason and Indian-origin designers Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha. Glenn Critchley, NZC chief marketing officer, said the shirt celebrates the bond between the nations and hopes it becomes a collector's item for fans.
New Zealand will wear the jersey throughout the five-match ODI series that begins in Auckland on 4 November. The ODI leg follows a five-match T20I series starting 22 October and precedes a two-match Test series from 19 November.
Steve Smith made 25 off 53 balls before Marco Jansen bowled him on the first day of the first Test in Durban. Australia reached 187 for six before rain and bad light shut things down after 65.2 overs. Smith passed Steve Waugh during the innings to become Australia’s third-highest run-scorer in men’s Tests.
Wiaan Mulder removed Travis Head for nine and trapped Marnus Labuschagne lbw for 37. Marco Jansen also sent back Nic Maddinson for a duck on his Test return. Anrich Nortje, back in the side for the first time since March 2023, claimed two wickets in one over to leave Australia at 124 for six.
Matt Renshaw finished unbeaten on 46 and Pat Cummins on 33, adding an unbroken 63 for the seventh wicket. Kagiso Rabada sat out with a hamstring injury.
South Australia completed an innings victory against Victoria in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield at Junction Oval. The two-time defending champions dismissed Victoria for 224 in their second innings to complete the win by an innings and 40 runs. Noah McFadyen took the final wicket and earlier scored 134 in South Australia's innings of 508. Nathan McAndrew and Henry Thornton claimed three wickets each in Victoria's second innings.
Pat Cummins dismissed concerns that Usman Khawaja's autobiography would revive the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Australia captain Pat Cummins said Usman Khawaja's upcoming autobiography would not reopen the 2018 ball-tampering scandal before the team's Test series against South Africa. Cummins confirmed Khawaja gave him advance notice about the book but they did not discuss details. Khawaja was part of the Australian team during the Cape Town Test where the incident occurred.
Cummins said all investigations were completed at the time and the team had moved on after the scandal. Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft received bans while Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon maintained they had no prior knowledge. This marks Australia's first Test series in South Africa since the incident.
South African broadcaster SuperSport shared footage of the original incident with a warning that their cameras would be sharp for the upcoming three-Test series. Khawaja's book is scheduled for publication next month.
Ollie Davies scored 253 off 225 balls for New South Wales against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield at Sydney on Friday. The 25-year-old opener hit 38 fours and four sixes in his first double-century and New South Wales' first since 2017. He was caught in the deep after reaching the landmark with an outside edge for four through third man.
Davies moved from number five to opener at the start of the season following a discussion with new coach Brad Haddin during pre-season. He had struggled in the previous Shield campaign and was dropped from the side in December. Davies said he entered a flow state during the innings where he was seeing the ball clearly and reacting without overthinking.
Davies gave his father a salute when he reached 200 after both his father and brother had previously faced 200 balls in an innings. New South Wales took control of the match with Jack Edwards also scoring a century in the dominant batting display.
India captain Shreyas Iyer said the bowlers were decisive in their execution during the third T20I victory against West Indies in Indore. He praised the clarity visible when he was interacting with them before handing over the ball.
Iyer also opened up on Abhishek Sharma's performance. The opener scored 69 off 30 balls to help India post 223. Iyer said the powerplay start was crucial and that Ishan Kishan had been remarkable in the last couple of months.
India won the match by 14 runs after defending 223. The victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Iyer said the bowlers were ready to take on the challenge and that was what the team wanted from them.
Sunil Gavaskar says Mayank Yadav's dropped catch of Sherfane Rutherford proved decisive as West Indies chased 250 in Ranchi.
Sunil Gavaskar has criticised Mayank Yadav for dropping a regulation catch of Sherfane Rutherford during the second T20I between India and West Indies in Ranchi. The left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav could have removed Rutherford at the halfway stage had the fielder held on to the chance.
West Indies chased down India's 249 for 5 with six wickets and nine balls to spare. Shai Hope remained unbeaten on 102 from 45 balls while Rutherford scored 84 from 37 deliveries in a 120-run partnership. Mayank had earlier taken three wickets in his opening burst but could not prevent the visitors from completing their highest successful T20I chase.
Gavaskar blamed the dropped catch on what he described as an urge to make the catch look better than it was. The miss proved costly as Rutherford went on to inflict significant damage on India's bowling attack.
Harmanpreet Kaur's persistence helped elevate Indian women's cricket from ignored to world champions before she stepped down as captain.
Harmanpreet Kaur fought to play, fought to be believed, and finally lifted the Women's ODI World Cup trophy that proved doubters wrong. The batter from Moga, Punjab, has now relinquished the captaincy across formats after leading India to their first major ICC title.
Kaur's journey began when her coach spotted her hitting sixes while playing with boys, her long hair tied in a traditional Sikh bun. She told a media training session before the 2017 World Cup that no one wanted to listen to women's stories, a sentiment that has since changed as India became a competitive force in the women's game.
After stepping down, Kaur said she finally gets to play for herself rather than carrying the weight of representation and leadership expectations.
The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka on December 13 has been shifted from Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi to Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Delhi and District Cricket Association requested the venue change to carry out renovation work including relaying pitches, improving the outfield and installing a quick-dry drainage system.
Two of the three ODIs in the six-match home series will now be played at the 100,000-capacity Motera Stadium. The team will travel to Ahmedabad on December 13 before moving to Bengaluru on December 16 and returning to Ahmedabad for the third ODI.
Palam and Jamia Millia have been shortlisted as alternative venues for Delhi's domestic fixtures. The DDCA is exploring Roshanara Ground and Karnail Singh Stadium for junior and women's matches with railway authorities promising infrastructure improvements including possible floodlights.
Shane Watson criticised India’s frequent squad changes and praised Gautam Gambhir’s decision to persist with Sanju Samson after the batter’s 82 in Ranchi.
Sanju Samson scored 82 off 41 balls in the second T20I against West Indies in Ranchi, ending a run of four single-figure scores. The innings equalled Virat Kohli’s record for the fastest fifty by an Indian against West Indies and helped India reach 249 for five. Shane Watson questioned the constant changes in India’s batting order under Gautam Gambhir and said stability is essential for players to build rhythm.
Watson noted that Samson received consistent backing during the T20 World Cup and delivered in the knockout stages. He argued that frequent rotation prevents players from settling into roles. Samson has now played 113 T20Is and remains the preferred wicketkeeper-batter ahead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the series.
India’s next assignment is a five-match T20I series in New Zealand beginning October 22. The tour also includes five ODIs and two Tests.
Lockie Ferguson hailed Shreyas Iyer's calm, consistent leadership ahead of India's T20I tour to New Zealand.
Lockie Ferguson said Shreyas Iyer captains with consistency and clear plans, giving bowlers space to execute their strengths. The New Zealand pacer spoke at a Sony Sports event ahead of India's tour to New Zealand, where the teams begin a five-match T20I series on October 22 in Christchurch.
Ferguson credited Iyer's level-headed approach for handling external pressures that come with leading India. He also highlighted the lack of fear among Indian batters, which he traced to intense competition for places driven by the IPL.
Ferguson said the tour will test 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him a high-quality talent who will face different conditions in New Zealand.
Mayank Yadav took three wickets in the powerplay as India lost the second T20I by six wickets in Ranchi; Gambhir urged the pacer to stick to his natural speed.
Mayank Yadav took three wickets in the powerplay during India's six-wicket loss to West Indies in the second T20I at Ranchi on Friday. The 24-year-old finished with figures of 3 for 36 from three overs after bowling consistently above 140 kmph.
He dismissed Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell inside the first six overs as West Indies chased India's 249 for 5. Head coach Gautam Gambhir said Mayank should bowl at his natural pace rather than experiment with slower deliveries after his expensive first-match spell.
Gambhir added that Mayank dropped a catch during the match but noted such errors are part of cricket. India had posted their highest T20I total against West Indies, led by Sanju Samson's 82 off 41 balls.
Gambhir's decision to back Samson over Sooryavanshi reflects a preference for proven experience.
India retained Sanju Samson for the second T20I against West Indies in Ranchi despite four low scores in his previous innings and the presence of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the squad. Samson responded with 82 off 41 balls.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has maintained that the team values consistency in selection and that Samson has delivered in previous high-pressure situations. The decision to persist with Samson over Sooryavanshi reflects a preference for proven international experience in a format where results matter more than potential.
Samson's 21-ball fifty equalled Virat Kohli's record for the fastest fifty by an Indian against West Indies. The performance silenced immediate calls for change but leaves the selection debate open for future matches.
Essex confirmed on Friday that they have released Robin Das following his appearance at Inner London Crown Court on two rape charges. The batter was charged in July after his arrest in August 2025.
Das made 60 appearances for Essex and last played for the county in a One-Day Cup match against Middlesex on 21 July. The club said the decision not to renew his contract was separate from the legal proceedings.
Essex added that the alleged incidents took place outside club activities and that the club recognises the seriousness of the matter.
Ishan Kishan reached 51 sixes in 2026 T20Is, becoming only the third player from a Test nation to achieve this mark.
Ishan Kishan became the third player from a Test-playing nation to hit 50 or more sixes in a calendar year in T20Is during the second match against West Indies at Ranchi on Friday. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 43 off 22 balls with six fours and two sixes, taking his 2026 tally to 51 maximums. Only Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma have previously achieved this feat.
Suryakumar hit 68 sixes in 31 T20Is in 2022 while Abhishek Sharma struck 63 sixes in 31 matches in 2026. Kishan has now played 31 T20Is this year across matches against England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. He hit 36 of his 51 sixes in home conditions.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said Kishan plays according to the needs of the team and has matured as a player. Kotak added that Kishan considers every ground his home ground and has been performing well in any situation.
