Cricket News

Bailey said that Australia are expecting Cummins, Hazlewood and David to be back to full fitness in time for the 2026 T20 World Cup. (Express Photo by Nirmal Hareendran)

Recovering Pat Cummins, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood included in Australia’s provisional T20 World Cup squad

January 1, 2026 11:24 IST

Chairman of selectors George Bailey said that the injured players are recovering well and will be fit in time for the World Cup.

In 2025, two moments laid bare how far fans have slipped down the priority list — both ending in tragedy: a stampede in Bengaluru, then chaos in Kolkata (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

Looking ahead at 2026: Fan experiences, lack of a Test No. 3, political instability – the messes, on and off field, that need cleaning up

January 1, 2026 10:18 IST

In this three-part series, The Indian Express team outlines what they look forward to in 2026

Vijay Hazare: Rishabh Pant fails to fire as Delhi suffer big defeat at the hands of Odisha

January 1, 2026 00:01 IST

With the national selectors set to announce the squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in first week of January, it was the charismatic India keeper-batter and Delhi skipper Pant, who was the focus of attention.

Smriti Mandhana Deepti Sharma Highest ODI run getters

Women’s ODIs in 2025: Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma top ODI charts for runs and wickets

December 31, 2025 21:06 IST

In the batting department, Mandhana finished as the top run-scorer for the second straight calendar year. Among bowlers, it was a year of spinners. Deepti, player of the tournament at the World Cup, finished with 39 wickets from 23 matches at an average of 27.1 and picking up a five-for.

England pacer Gus Atkinson in action during Brisbane Ashes Test. (PHOTO: Reuters)

‘Gus Atkinson needs to work on his body language,’ says Stuart Broad after a flat show in Ashes

December 31, 2025 20:38 IST

Atkinson has looked flat in the tour and has only picked six wickets at an average of 47.

Australia batter Travis Head in action during the first Ashes against England. (PHOTO: AP)

Emotionally drained Travis Head hints at skipping BBL, targets fresh start for 2026 T20 World Cup after Ashes

December 31, 2025 20:12 IST

Head is keen for a mental and physical break, which means he's highly unlikely to feature for his BBL franchise, the Adelaide Strikers.

Leading run getters in 2025: Shubman Gill highest run scorer in international & Tests; Joe Root leads chart in ODIs, Karanbir Singh in T20Is

December 31, 2025 18:51 IST

Gill pipped star West Indies batter Shai Hope by just four runs to finish the year as the leading run scorer.

Indian spinner Vaishnavi Sharma with captain Harmanpreet Kaur during fifth T20I vs Sri Lanka. (PHOTO: CREIMAS FOR BCCI)

Destiny’s child: Astrologer’s daughter Vaishnavi Sharma has the makings of a star

January 1, 2026 06:11 IST

The 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma took five wickets in her debut series against Sri Lanka; "When Vaishnavi was born, I made her horoscope... there were strong indications for sports and also for becoming a doctor," her father Narendra Sharma said.

He played 67 Tests for Australia from 1992 to 2006, scoring 4406 runs at 46.37 including 13 centuries. (AP Photo)

R Ashwin, VVS Laxman among members of cricket community wishing Damien Martyn speedy recovery

December 31, 2025 17:19 IST

Wishes have poured in for Damien Martyn, who has been hospitalised and is in an induced coma.

‘CSK should look at riding his purple patch by slotting him into the Playing XII surely?’: R Ashwin on Sarfaraz Khan

December 31, 2025 16:40 IST

Sarfaraz has been in electric form in the domestic circuit this season, scoring a century and three half centuries in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Indian team end 2025 year as the highest ranked ODI and T20I side. (PHOTO: PTI)

ICC Team Rankings: India end 2025 as highest-ranked ODI & T20I side; Australia dominate Test charts; Full rankings across format

December 31, 2025 15:57 IST

India have dominated the white ball cricket in 2025 and will end the year as the highest-ranked side both in One Day Internationals and in T20Is.

Afghanistan's run to the semi-final of the 2024 edition was among the standout stories of the tournament. (AP Photo)

Rashid Khan named captain as Afghanistan announce squad for 2026 T20 World Cup

December 31, 2025 15:25 IST

Afghanistan are the fifth squad to name their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, after India, Sri Lanka, Oman and England

Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim against Premier League match vs Wolves. (PHOTO: AP)

Gary Neville blasts Ruben Amorim over Manchester United’s ‘appalling’ back-three reversion in Wolves draw

December 31, 2025 14:30 IST

Neville was particularly disappointed with Amorim's decision to play back three against Wolves, which cost them two crucial points.

Dhruv Jurel scored 160 against Baroda and helped UP continue the winning run in Vijay Hazare. (PHOTO: X)

‘Feels good when you go abroad and people call you a Test cricketer’: Dhruv Jurel already thinking of 2026 Sri Lanka series

December 31, 2025 14:16 IST

Dhruv Jurel has been among the top performers in the early exchanges of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

India captain Shubman Gill reacts after his injury on day 2 of the Kolkata Test. (Express Photo by Partha Paul).

2025 Reimagined: What if… Shubman Gill had not suffered a neck spasm in the first Test against South Africa

December 31, 2025 13:28 IST

A turn of fortune, a stroke of luck or a quirk of fate which could have altered the sporting path of teams and individuals this year.

India winning the Women's World Cup, especially after three losses earlier in the tournament, is a moment that will be etched in memories. (Express Photo by Narendra Vaskar)

Reflections of 2025: A historic Women’s World Cup win, frailty of Bazball exposed, Virat Kohli’s tears of joy

December 31, 2025 12:48 IST

As the year winds down, The Indian Express team picks moments from the game of cricket that captured imagination, broke down barriers and changed fortunes.

Head said that he gets on particularly well England opener Ben Duckett. (AP Photo)

Travis Head looking forward to post-Ashes drink with England after 2023 fallout

December 31, 2025 10:58 IST

The traditonal post-Ashes drink had been derailed somewhat in 2023 after relationships between the two teams soured over the course of the series.

Martyn was part of Ricky Ponting's world-beating Australian side that won the 2003 World Cup. (AP Photo)

Damien Martyn in induced coma after meningitis diagnosis

December 31, 2025 17:12 IST

Martyn's former Australia teammate and close friend Adam Gilchrist said on News Corp that he is getting "the best of treatment".

‘Shifting to T20 from ODI wasn’t easy’: Harmanpreet Kaur after India clean sweep Sri Lanka 5-0

December 30, 2025 23:48 IST

India blanked Sri Lanka 5-0 and completed a series whitewash after a 15-run win on Tuesday at Thiruvananthapuram.

IND vs SL 5th T20I: How captain Harmanpreet Kaur guided India to 5-0 series win over Sri Lanka

December 30, 2025 23:10 IST

Harmanpreet's 68 off 43 cornerstones India’s triumph as visitors end up 15 runs short of consolation win.

Khaleda Zia passes away bpl matches cancelled

Khaleda Zia passes away: Bangladesh cricket board cancels two BPL matches

December 30, 2025 19:56 IST

"In respect of the nation’s mourning following the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, today’s BPL T20 matches have been cancelled. Revised fixtures will be announced in due course," the BCB said in a statement.

Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Big Bash League stint cut short due to injury

December 30, 2025 19:29 IST

Pakistan will begin their T20 World Cup campaign on February 7 with ‌a group stage game against Netherlands in Colombo.

Stokes said after England lost the Perth Test by eight wickets in two days that he regretted his choice of words at that moment. (AP Photo)

Sunil Gavaskar’s veiled ‘has-beens’ shot at Ben Stokes while arguing England should’ve played more first class cricket before Ashes

December 30, 2025 17:40 IST

Sunil Gavaskar said that the win in the fourth Test shows that the visitors would've been better served had they played some first class cricket before the series started.

Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland withdraw from WPL

WPL 2026: Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland to miss upcoming season

December 30, 2025 17:42 IST

Both Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland were retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals ahead of the mega auction.

ICC T20I rankings: Shafali Verma climbs to 6th in batters’ list, Deepti Sharma remains on top in bowlers’ list

December 30, 2025 17:52 IST

The 21-year-old Shafali, a former top-ranked batter, moved up four places after scores of 69 not out off 34 balls in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, followed by unbeaten knocks of 79 off 42 deliveries and 79 off 46 balls in the third and fourth matches in Thiruvananthapuram.