Category: Cricket

Disciplined bowling and an unbeaten 87 by opener Sanju Samson helped Chennai Super Kings stay in the hunt for the IPL 2026 playoffs with an eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday.

Batting first on a tough pitch backfired for hosts Delhi, who slipped to 69-5 before posting 155-7 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Five-time champions Chennai lost two early wickets in the chase, but Samson paced his 52-ball knock to perfection as his team chased down the target with 15 balls to spare.

Samson, a wicketkeeper-batter, put on an unbeaten 114-run stand with Kartik Sharma, who made 41, as the two ensured a fifth win for Chennai in 10 matches to be sixth in the 10-team table.

Delhi’s chances of making the playoffs took a hit as they went down to their sixth defeat.

The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the playoffs.

In-form Samson, who has hit two centuries in IPL 2026, reached his fifty in 32 balls and finished with seven fours and six sixes.

He has scored 402 runs in 10 matches this edition and is fifth in the batting chart led by Delhi’s KL Rahul (445).

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Samson came into this edition of the IPL on the back of three half-centuries in the last three matches of India’s T20 World Cup triumph on home soil in March.

Delhi’s South Africa pace bowler Lungi Ngidi returned after missing the previous two matches with a concussion.

Ngidi claimed 1-30, dismissing skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, for six, with a pacy delivery.

But it was the Chennai bowlers who exploited the surface. Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad stood out with figures of 2-22 and was ably supported by fellow spinner Akeal Hosein (1-19).

Fast bowlers Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, and England’s Jamie Overton claimed one wicket each as they bowled good lengths to restrict the opposition.

South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs made 38, and impact substitute Sameer Rizvi struck an unbeaten 40 off 24 balls to hit back after Delhi lost half their side in the 11th over.

Stubbs and Rizvi, who struck four sixes, put on 65 runs for the sixth wicket, but the effort was not enough to test Chennai’s batting.

One of the most successful franchises in the T20 tournament, Chennai are still waiting for the return of veteran M.S. Dhoni, who is recovering from an injury and is yet to play a game in this edition.

READ: BCB makes ‘special announcement’ for Pakistan-Bangladesh series

DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced free entry for Students and academy trainees for the two-match Test series against Pakistan.

The first of the two matches – part of the ICC World Test Championship will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test, which will be played from 16 to 20 May.

The board termed it a “special opportunity” aimed at encouraging young cricket fans to experience the longer format of the game from the stands.

“On the occasion of the upcoming Bangladesh vs Pakistan Test Series, a special opportunity has been introduced to encourage young cricket enthusiasts to experience the ultimate form of the game from the stands and galleries,” the BCB said in a statement.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Students from schools and educational institutions, wearing their respective uniforms and carrying valid ID cards, will be granted free entry to designated stands/galleries,” it added.

BCB also said that the condition applies to trainees under the age of 15, who can come to the stadium wearing their official academy kits.

“This privilege also applies to trainees under the age of 15 who are enrolled in private cricket academies. These trainees must wear their official academy kits to receive complimentary access to the stadiums,” the board concluded.

In the current World Test Championship (WTC) standings, Bangladesh are placed eighth, having registered one defeat and one draw from two matches, with a win percentage of 16.67.

Pakistan, meanwhile, sit fifth with one win and one loss, holding 12 points and a 50 percent win ratio.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan, Amite Hasan.

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: Warwickshire Bears sign Usman Tariq for T20 Blast 2026

Pakistan mystery off-spinner Usman Tariq expressed excitement after being signed by Warwickshire Bears for the T20 Blast 2026. 

The tournament will run from May 22 to July 18, with Bears playing their opening match against Gloucestershire on Friday, May 22.

Earlier today, the Bears announced the signing of a 30-year-old spinner, hailing the spinner’s high impact with the ball.

Following the signing, Tariq shared his views, noting that he is eager to join Bears with enthusiasm and positive energy.

“I am very excited to bring more fun and energy to the Bears. I can’t wait to get involved with the squad and it’s a great feeling to be part of this team. I hope to see as many people as possible at Edgbaston this summer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Warwickshire Bears performance director James Thomas lauded Tariq’s bowling, highlighting his skillset and strategy that pose a threat to modern-day batters.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” he said.

“His skillset and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out,” he added.

Usman, who rose to prominence due to unusual action, has played 9 T20Is for Pakistan. The tall spinner has taken 18 wickets, including a hat-trick in his second match.

For the unversed, Usman Tariq will spend most of his time in England during the summer. He will first play in the T20 Blast and will later on represent Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred 2026.

The 30-year-old was signed for a whopping GBP 140,000 at the player auction earlier this year.

READ: Warwickshire Bears sign Usman Tariq for T20 Blast 2026

Warwickshire Bears have signed Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq for the forthcoming T20 Blast campaign.

The announcement was confirmed through the team’s social handles.

“Worth the wait,” the caption of the post read.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bears (@warwickshireccc)

Following the signing, team performance director James Thomas lauded Tariq’s bowling, highlighting his skillset and strategy that pose a threat to modern-day batters.

“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” Bears performance director James Thomas said., external

“His skillset and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The director further said that what made the signing particularly exciting was the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix.

He added that bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast before his transition into The Hundred with the Phoenix reflected the strength of their integrated model across the club and franchise.

“What makes this signing particularly exciting is the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix. Bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast, before transitioning into The Hundred with the Phoenix, reflects the strength of our integrated model across club and franchise,”

“It allows us to create continuity for the player, maximise performance impact across both competitions, and build stronger connections with our supporters in Birmingham and Warwickshire.” Ultimately, this is about strengthening the team, the franchise, and our presence in the area, and we believe Usman can play a key role in that this summer,” he concluded.

The T20 Blast will run from May 22 to July 18. Birmingham Bears will play their opening match against Gloucestershire on Friday, May 22.

For the unversed, Usman made headlines for his unorthodox action and has played 9 T20Is for Pakistan. The 30-year-old has so far taken 18 wickets, including a hat-trick in his short career.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka issues warning over Grand Slams prize money

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday released the annual rankings of Men’s T20I teams, with title holders India remaining at the top spot. 

According to the cricket apex body, the latest rankings are weighted: matches played since May 2025 count at 100 percent and those from the previous two years at 50 percent.

“The latest rankings rate all matches played since May 2025 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent,” the press release said.

India remains firm in the top spot with 275 points, followed by England on 262 points. Australia are closely behind the Three Lions with 258 points.

The Men in Blue’s top position is on the back of their stellar run over the past two years, during which they lifted two World Cups — 2024 and 2026 — and remained undefeated in all T20I series.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Meanwhile, the top seven positions in the rankings are unchanged with New Zealand on 247 points. South Africa is in fifth position with 244 points, while Pakistan (240) and West Indies (233) are in sixth and seventh positions, respectively.

At the bottom, Sri Lanka slipped to the ninth spot, while Bangladesh moved one step up and is in eighth position. Afghanistan is in 10th position, while Zimbabwe and Ireland’s positions are unchanged.

The USA continued their rise, gaining six points, sitting at 13th place, leapfrogging the Netherlands and Scotland at 14th and 15th ranks respectively.

Italy, who made their debut in the T20 World Cup 2026, are the biggest gainers, climbing from 26th to 23rd position.

It is worth noting that the number of teams in the rankings has dropped from 102 to 98, as Fiji, Gambia, Greece, and Israel did not make the cut because they did not play the required eight T20Is in the past three years.

READ: Babar Azam shares inspirational post after Peshawar Zalmi PSL triumph

Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam has shared an inspirational story on his social media handle following Peshawar Zalmi’s triumph in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

Babar took to his Instagram handle to showcase a collage of photographs featuring young cricketers and fans.

“My motivation. If I can, you all can”, the caption of the story read.

The post comes after Peshawar Zalmi’s victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the PSL 11 final. Babar led his side to title glory, winning the PSL trophy for the first time as a captain. Moreover, this was Zalmi’s first trophy in nine years.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

It is worth mentioning that Babar Azam served as a ball boy during the 2007 Test series between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium. His journey is a symbol of determination and hard work.  As a ball boy, the 31-year-old idolized South African batter AB de Villiers and took inspiration from him.

He also remained Pakistan U-19 captain and led Pakistan into the quarter-finals of the ICC World Cup.

Since making his debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe, Babar has become one of the top performers for the national team across all three formats.

Overall, he has played 346 matches for Pakistan, amassing 15463 runs at an average of 45, including 32 centuries and 106 fifties.  He is also on the verge of breaking the record for the most ODI centuries for Pakistan, currently tied with Saeed Anwar at 20.

READ: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi named in PSL 11 Team of the Tournament

David Warner has raised concerns over the absence of Karachi Kings players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Team of the Tournament, following the official announcement by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The governing body unveiled a 12-player lineup on Monday, with Babar Azam named captain after leading Peshawar Zalmi to the title with a standout season both as a batter and leader.

The selected squad included three players each from Zalmi and runners-up Hyderabad Kingsmen, while Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United had two representatives each.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators secured one spot apiece.

However, the complete omission of players from Karachi Kings and Rawalpindiz drew attention, particularly from the Kings’ captain, David Warner, who reacted to the announcement on social media.

Commenting on the league’s official post, the former Australian opener questioned the selection, writing: “Where is Karachi players.”

Notably, Warner himself enjoyed a productive campaign, finishing as Karachi’s leading run-scorer with 256 runs in seven matches at an impressive strike-rate of 147.97, including three half-centuries.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Hasan Ali was among the standout performers with the ball, claiming 15 wickets in nine appearances and featuring among the tournament’s leading wicket-takers.

The Team of the Tournament was finalised by a five-member panel comprising members of the commentary group, who also selected an Emerging Team to recognise rising talent from the competition.

READ: Sophie Devine calls for New Zealand women’s return to Test cricket

New Zealand women’s great Sophie Devine told AFP she wishes she had experienced Test cricket during her illustrious career and hopes the White Ferns will play the format again soon because it’s “the ultimate”.

Devine will end her 20-year international career at the Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June-July, alongside retiring long-standing team-mates Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu.

The 36-year-old is one of the world’s best all-rounders, scoring almost 8,000 runs and taking 239 wickets across ODIs and T20 internationals.

New Zealand’s women’s team, the White Ferns, last played a Test in August 2004, a drawn match against England at Scarborough.

Devine said it’s a format she “would have loved to have played”.

“It just hasn’t been a priority for New Zealand cricket,” Devine told AFP. “I’ll walk away from the game having not played one, but it’s really cool to see more countries are taking up that opportunity to play Test cricket.”

Between 2010 and 2020, just eight women’s Tests were played featuring either England, Australia, India or South Africa.

In the past five years, there have been 12 women’s Tests played between those nations, and the West Indies are to play a one-off Test against England in August 2027, their first in more than 20 years.

Devine said New Zealand would first need to prioritise longer-form cricket domestically.

“You can’t just rock up and play a four-day or five-day women’s Test, there’s obviously a lot of work that has to go into that,” Devine said.

“None of us have played multi-day cricket. Well, I have, but that was when I was in high school or playing club cricket 20 or 25 years ago. For me, it’s probably the ultimate form of the game.”

In recent years, Sophie Devine has taken time off from the game to focus on her mental health, having talked of feeling “numb” even during some of her greatest achievements.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

In speaking out, other cricketers have followed, the likes of New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr often opening up about her darkest moments.

“There certainly does seem to be a bit more acceptance with athletes sharing their stories and the mental health battles that people face,” Devine said.

“Sometimes there’s a stigma attached to mental health, especially with athletes, but hopefully I’ve been part of that acceptance and willingness to talk and share.

“Would I have liked to have not gone through it? Absolutely. But I think it’s part of who I am, and it’s helped me grow and learn and become who I am today.”

She said her personal struggles had set the tone for how she sought to lead the White Ferns at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

New Zealand turned around a run of 11 straight losses leading into the tournament to win the title.

It’s an approach continued and perhaps improved upon by the 25-year-old Kerr, who has averaged more than 70 with the bat and under 18 with the ball since taking on the captaincy.

“Maybe I should have handed over the captaincy much sooner, had I known what it would do for her game,” Devine said.

“We’re in a better place than we were in ’24. That playing XI is going to be tough to pick.”

As she heads towards her final matches wearing the white fern, Devine said she is “fortunate and grateful” to have played at the time she has.

In her early days, Devine said she would earn as little as NZ$30 (now US$18) for playing in a match, whereas in March she was bought for £210,000 (US$285,000) to play for the Welsh Fire in the women’s Hundred.

“It’s really exciting,” said Devine, who will still play franchise cricket after international retirement.

“And it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

READ: Pakistan seal comfortable win over Zimbabwe in ODI series opener

Openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton hit attacking knocks as Mumbai Indians beat Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets to keep their slim playoff hopes alive in the IPL 2026 on Monday.

Rohit, who hit 84, and the left-handed Rickelton (83) put on 143 runs to lay the foundations for Mumbai’s chase of 229 with eight balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Five-time champions Mumbai, who were without unwell captain Hardik Pandya, stay in the 10-team table with three wins in 10 matches.

Lucknow, led by Rishabh Pant, languish at the bottom and are nearly out of the race for the playoffs.

The top two teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the playoffs.

The 39-year-old Rohit returned from an injury after missing five matches to hit his second fifty of the season as he struck six fours and seven sixes in his 44-ball knock.

South Africa’s Rickelton kept up his blazing form in his 32-ball blitz to pummel the opposition attack before his departure in the 11th over.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Rohit, who came in as an impact substitute after Lucknow’s batting innings of 228-5, kept up the momentum with his trademark pull shot and wristy flicks to entertain the home crowd.

He finally fell to Manimaran Siddharth’s left-arm spin and Tilak Varma soon fell for 11 to raise Lucknow’s hopes.

Stand-in-skipper Suryakumar Yadav departed for 12 before Naman Dhir, who made 23, and Will Jacks, who hit the winning six in his 10, steered the team home.

Earlier Lucknow’s West Indies star Nicholas Pooran struck form with a 21-ball 63 to put Lucknow on course to a big total.

Australian opener Mitchell Marsh provided the early impetus with his 44 off 25 balls and put on 94 runs for the second wicket with the left-handed Pooran.

Pace bowler Corbin Bosch dismissed Pooran and Marsh in the ninth over to hit back for Mumbai, but Lucknow kept pace with unbeaten knocks from Aiden Markram and Himmat Singh.

Markram, who hit 31, and Himmat, who top-scored with 40, put on 68 runs for the sixth wicket to boost Lucknow’s score, which ultimately proved insufficient.

READ: Pakistan seal comfortable win over Zimbabwe in ODI series opener

KARACHI: Sadaf Shams’ 98 and a resounding bowling performance sealed a 168-run victory for the Pakistan women’s team over Zimbabwe at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

Chasing a massive 331 run target, Zimbabwe fell way short and were bowled out for 162 in 36.4 overs.

The 168-run victory was Pakistan women’s second-biggest winning margin.

Fatima Sana started the proceedings for Pakistan, removing Christine Mutasa for one in the second over.  After an early wicket, Kelly Ndiraya and Kelis Ndhlovu added a brief 28-run partnership to put the chase back on track.

However, Sana struck again, removing Ndirya (11), sparking a collapse that Zimbabwe never recovered from. Beloved Biza showed some resistance with 53 off 53 deliveries with the aid of eight fours.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pakistan Cricket (@therealpcb)

For Pakistan, Fatima Sana, Syeda Aroob Shah, and Tasmia Rubab picked up two wickets each.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Pakistan racked up 330 for five in 50 overs, thanks to a solid opening partnership between Gull Feroza and Sadaf Shams. The duo shared a 162-run stand in 28.2 overs, laying a strong foundation for a big total.

Gull Feroza hit five fours in her half-century from 60 balls. Meanwhile, Shams continued on, putting on a brief 33-run partnership with Sidra Amin. She was eventually caught on 98 from 130 balls, peppered with 17 fours.

Zimbabwe made a comeback in the middle phase of the innings, taking quick wickets to leave Pakistan four down for 219 in 39.1 overs.

But it was Sidra Amin and Najiha Alvi’s brisk 96-run stand from just 58 balls that took them past the 300-run mark. Sidra struck nine fours in her 67, whereas Najiha Alvi remained unbeaten on 56 off 30, hitting a six and eight fours.

For Zimbabwe, Precious Marange picked up three wickets.

The second ODI of the three-match series will be played at the same venue on May 6.

READ: WATCH: Pakistan training session in Dhaka ahead of Bangladesh series