Month: August 2023

Australia has confirmed three debutants for the opening T20I against South Africa in Durban with Spencer Johnson, Aaron Hardie and Matt Short all set to play their first international match under new captain Mitchell Marsh. Australia confirmed their XI for the first of three T20Is on Wednesday with Johnson, Hardie and Short headlining a completely new-look side to the last T20I side that played for Australia in the home T20…

Big picture – a massive occasion for Nepal Nepal are making their Asia Cup debut. They are meeting Pakistan for the first time in any format. It’s a massive occasion for them, a day of celebration no matter how things pan out on the field. Nepal’s very presence at this Asia Cup is validation of their rise as a cricketing force. They got here by winning the ten-team ACC Men’s…

New Zealand A 147 and 191 for 2 (Solia 62*) lead Australia A 263 (Jewell 78, Kuggeleijn 5-74) by 75 runs New Zealand A fought back strongly on the second day at Allan Border Field, firstly through Scott Kuggeleijn‘s five-wicket haul and then with a solid display by their top order, led by Sean Solia, which enabled them to wipe off Australia A’s lead and close with an advantage of…

You probably already know this name but if you don’t, remember it: Dewald Brevis. Tipped to become South Africa’s next big batting thing since finishing as the leading run-scorer at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, Brevis has had to wait 18 months to crack the senior side and has racked up a host of domestic accolades in the meantime. Apart from deals in the IPL, CPL and MLC, he was…

India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has opted out of the WBBL for the second year in a row, as she could play in the upcoming domestic season. She had skipped the 2022-23 WBBL as well to manage her workload and focus on her India commitments during a busy international year. This time, Mandhana did not put her name in the list of 122 players for the inaugural WBBL overseas draft, and…

Multan Sultans will become the first T20 franchise in Pakistan with a female general manager, replacing the departing Haider Azhar with journalist Hijab Zahid. It will make Zahid, who presently works at Grassroots Cricket, one of the only female general managers of a T20 franchise anywhere in the world. Sultans, who have reached the final of the last three PSL editions and won the league in 2021, will undergo a…

Rohit Sharma wants to “shut out” the external pressure and the weight of expectation that come with captaining the host nation in a World Cup. When the tournament last came to India in 2011, Rohit endured a “heartbreak” as he didn’t make the final squad of 15. Twelve years on, it is possible this could be Rohit’s last shot at World Cup glory. “For me, it is important how I…

Sri Lanka’s bowling stocks have been ravaged by injury, with Dilshan Madushanka now ruled out of the Asia Cup, and Lahiru Kumara also likely to be unavailable. This, after Dushmantha Chameera had earlier been ruled out of the tournament as well. Legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga is also recovering from a grade two strain in the thigh, and may not play a part in the Asia Cup, depending on the speed of…

St Lucia Kings captain Faf du Plessis has been sidelined from the rest of CPL 2023 with a long-standing tennis-elbow injury, for which he will now undergo surgery. Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza, who made his debut for Kings only earlier this month, will take over as the captain of the side. Kings have also roped in Colin Munro, the highest run-getter among overseas players in CPL history, as du Plessis’…

For the first time WBBL overseas signings will be determined by a draft, taking place on September 3. Here is a full list of all the players nominated. Players that are eligible for a retention pick* have the club next to their name. There is one additional element in the WBBL with six players have taken a direct nomination route which allows them to choose to not be available for…