Ireland’s players have secured a pay raise after Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers’ Association (ICA) reached an agreement on the terms of central contracts following a stand-off. The Irish Times had reported last week that Ireland’s players had rejected an offer from the board, and that they ran the risk of playing June’s T20 World Cup on contracts which initially expired at the end of February. The terms…

Newly appointed Pakistan white-ball coach Gary Kirsten may not have joined the Pakistan camp in person yet, but appears to be preparing for the magnitude of the challenge already. Speaking to talkSPORT about his appointment, Kirsten said there was little doubt about the talent of the Pakistan squad, but also hinted at problems he had already picked up on. “Everyone always talks about watching some of these players play on…

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans Match abandoned without a ball bowled Sunrisers Hyderabad sealed a place in the playoffs of IPL 2024, with one point from their washed-out game against Gujarat Titans ensuring they will finish the league stage in the top four. They now have 15 points with one game remaining, against Punjab Kings on May 19. It was their first playoff qualification since IPL 2020, after finishing last…

Match Details Mumbai Indians v Lucknow Super GiantsMumbai, 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT) Big Picture Friday could be an emotional evening, of reflection and goodbyes. Being the final game of the current three-year auction cycle for MI and LSG (that is, barring an astonishing miracle for LSG), it’s possible a number of players from both sides are playing together for one final time. But before the farewells, there’s a game to…

Lauren Winfield-Hill, the England batter and stalwart of the Headingley-based Northern Diamonds regional set-up, has warned that the ECB’s decision to defer Yorkshire’s entry to Tier 1 of the new women’s domestic competition could have damaging ramifications for English cricket’s largest county. Winfield-Hill, 33, was the leading run-scorer in last season’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, with 663 at 51.00, and has launched this year’s campaign with two further half-centuries for…

Lauren Bell has vowed to “attack the stumps” as a default approach, both against Pakistan for the remainder of England’s T20I series, and as a means to combat Bangladesh’s slow, low wickets in this winter’s T20 World Cup, after coming through a rusty first spell at Edgbaston on Saturday to help seal her side’s 53-run win with figures of 3 for 22. Bell had not played any competitive cricket since…

Fresh off qualification for the Women’s T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka will host West Indies for three ODIs and three T20Is from June 15-28. For Sri Lanka, the tour will primarily serve as preparation for the T20 Asia Cup, also to be hosted in Sri Lanka, starting July 20. It will be their second bilateral T20I series this year, following their successful tour of South Africa across March and April….

Is this going to be MS Dhoni‘s last IPL season? Michael Hussey, Chennai Super Kings’ batting coach, has little idea but he is hoping Dhoni carries on for “another couple of years”. “Your guess is as good as mine at this stage,” Hussey said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show when asked if Dhoni would be back next year. “He keeps his cards very, very close to his chest. We…

New Zealand are banking on mixed fortunes from the IPL, their recent tour of Pakistan and experience of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to ensure they are prepared for their T20 World Cup campaign in the absence of official warm-up matches. Warm-up matches were offered by ICC, but amid the logistical challenges of getting the entire squad together in the Caribbean – they will arrive in three batches between May…

After succumbing to their fourth consecutive defeat of IPL 2024, Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson admitted that his team is “going through failures” that need to be rectified at the earliest. Royals, who had set the early pace in the tournament by winning eight of their first nine matches, had lost three on the bounce coming in to Wednesday’s game. While Samson had insisted after the team’s reversal against Chennai…