2:19 AM ET Andrew Fidel Fernando Sri Lanka fast bowler Lahiru Kumara has been ruled out of the second Test against Australia, in Canberra, with a hamstring injury, and is also in serious doubt for the Tests against South Africa next month. Kumara had sustained the injury on day two of the first Test in Brisbane, and had been off the field for the entire third session, as Sri Lanka…
2:06 AM ET Pacer Mohammad Amir‘s return to Pakistan’s squad is complete, as he returns to the T20 squad for the South Africa series. He had been axed from all three formats after the Asia Cup due to his poor form, but on the ongoing South Africa tour has successfully made a return in both longer formats. In the 15-man squad, the selectors retained 14 men from the previous squad,…
Pat Cummins celebrates Kusal Mendis’ dismissal © Bradley Kanaris/CA/Getty Images Having dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne off the last ball of day two, Pat Cummins blasted out three Sri Lanka batsmen in his opening spell on day three, before Jhye Richardson also claimed a wicket in the penultimate over before tea. All told, Sri Lanka have now lost five, and are struggling even make Australia bat again – still 105 runs behind….
3:00 AM ET Brisbane Heat 7 for 132 (Mooney 65, Burns 2-25) beat Sydney Sixers 7 for 131 (Perry 33, van Niekerk 32, Harris 3-23) by 3 wickets A courageous and skilful innings by Beth Mooney formed the spine of the Brisbane Heat’s WBBL final triumph over the Sydney Sixers at a packed Drummoyne Oval, after the tournament’s most powerful top order was successfully restricted by the visitors. The Heat…
3:00 AM ET Toss India elected to bat v New Zealand India won the toss and set themselves the challenge of defending a total after having been successful in three successive chases. Also, in the last two matches in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand had batted first and won, which might have been a factor in the decision. India remained unchanged, which meant Vijay Shankar and Kedar Jadhav were expected to…
6:12 PM ET Jos Buttler admitted that England had been served a timely reality check after two torrid days in a row in Barbados – first with the bat and then with the ball – but believes that their long and unlikely challenge of batting out the final two days to save the first Test is an “opportunity to have a much better showing”. Buttler, who was one of five…
5:33 PM ET Jason Holder fulfilled one of the most cherished ambitions of his career, as he converted a Test century in front of his home crowd at the Kensington Oval into a brilliant unbeaten 202, to put his side into an unassailable position against England on the third day in Barbados. In partnership with his fellow Bajan and age-group team-mate, Shane Dowrich, Holder made a mockery of England’s feeble…
1:14 PM ET West Indies are set to be without Sunil Narine and Andre Russell for their ODI series against England. Narine has informed CWI that he is not yet confident enough in his bowling action to get through an ODI, while Russell hasinformed them his knee is not yet up to the demands of 50-over cricket. Narine hasn’t played an ODI for more than two years, but insists he…
‘I won’t lie but this kind of criticism really pissed me off’ (6:26) Imam-ul-Haq’s journey out of the shadows of his uncle Inzamam (6:26) 12:46 PM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Imam-ul-Haq has been more or less a permanent fixture in the side for over a year, but talk of his close relationship with chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq shows no sign of abating. On this occasion, it was Imam himself who chose to…
Gautam Gambhir looks on from the dugout © BCCI Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir was among eight sportspersons who were picked on Friday to receive the prestigious Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award. Besides Gambhir, the seven other sportspersons named for the award were football player Sunil Chhetri, chess grandmaster Harika Dronavalli, table tennis player Sharath Kamal, archer Bombayla Devi Laishram, wrestler Bajrang Punia, basketball player Prashanti Singh and…