England announce playing XI for 2nd Test vs New Zealand
England has made a significant change to its playing eleven for the second Test against New Zealand at The Kennington Oval in London. Captain Ben Stokes has been left out of the squad, following his involvement in a nightclub scandal following the series opener. The match is scheduled to begin June 17th. Jordan Cox and Sunny Baker will make their Test debuts. Fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Matt Fisher have returned.
England Lineup:
Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matt Fisher, Emilio Gay, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue.
‘Team India won’t go very far…’, R Ashwin on India Women’s side
The Indian women’s cricket team played against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday. India put up a brilliant performance and won, defeating Pakistan by 64 runs. Despite this, R. Ashwin believes that Team India will not be able to advance in this World Cup. The team lacks power. Ashwin said, “I am not sure if India can go very far in this T20 World Cup as the batting order lacks power hitting. Although India’s performance against Pakistan was excellent and spin bowling once again played a decisive role, the team still lacks the depth like teams like England and Australia.”
IPL 2026 broke all previous viewership records
IPL 2026 shattered all viewership records. The 19th season became the most-watched season ever. The final match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans also became historic. A report in the Economic Times quoted JioStar as saying that this IPL season achieved its highest viewership ever. “IPL 2026 reach soared to over 1.2 billion, reflecting a growth of seven per cent year-on-year. The season kept viewers glued to screens as watch-time touched 870 billion minutes. The final, which culminated in RCB lifting the trophy for a second consecutive year, became the most-watched IPL match ever, reaching over 400 million across screens,” said a JioStar release.
Yuzvendra Chahal scored century in 29 balls!
Out-of-favour Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has scored a century faster than Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He smashed AB de Villiers’ record by reaching 100 off 29 balls, but with a twist. The leg-spinner took up the “Score 100” challenge on former England captain Kevin Pietersen’s YouTube channel. He completed it in 29 balls, breaking AB de Villiers’ existing record. Chahal was dismissed twice while achieving this feat. Vaibhav Suryavanshi had scored 100 off 35 balls against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2025.
“Cricket Australia wants growth”: IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal believes that Cricket Australia’s decision to launch the 2026 season of the Big Bash League (BBL) in India reflects the country’s growing influence in global cricket. This move is seen as a significant step for the Australian T20 tournament as it seeks to expand its reach beyond traditional markets. Speaking about this development on media, he said, “Look, India is the biggest market for cricket. So, naturally, Cricket Australia would want to capitalize on that. As a global leader in cricket, India has immense scope to contribute to the sport worldwide. With cricket now becoming part of the Olympics, it is a very positive sign for the game and for expanding its global reach.”
Pakistan Cricket Board introduces specialisation-based contracts
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has introduced a historic change to its central contract system that has taken the cricketing world by surprise. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that the board is completely scrapping the traditional contract categories (A, B, C, and D). They are replacing them with a new system based on data and analytics, where computers and statistics—rather than humans—will drive 85% of the decision-making process. Pakistan’s new coaches, Aaqib Javed and Mike Hesson, were present alongside Mohsin Naqvi at the press conference held in Lahore. The board believes this new system will put an end to all contract-related disputes once and for all.
Expressing confidence in the new system, Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said, “In the past, whenever players were awarded contracts, there would always be debates regarding why a particular player was placed in a specific category; the players themselves were often dissatisfied. We have now devised a system where 85% of the decision-making has been taken out of human hands and entrusted entirely to data. This process will be so transparent that no player will be able to question their category or standing.”
Cameron Green pulled out of AUS vs BAN T20I series
Australia’s preparations for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh suffered a setback when all-rounder Cameron Green withdrew from the tour. Cameron Green has returned to Australia to focus on workload management ahead of a busy Test schedule. With the home Test series against Bangladesh commencing on August 13, the team management has prioritized keeping the 27-year-old fresh for red-ball cricket. Cricket Australia has not named a replacement for him, leaving Mitchell Marsh and Aaron Hardie as the primary seam-bowling all-rounder options in the squad. However, due to injury management, it is unlikely that Marsh will contribute significantly with the ball.
“I worry for him”: McCullum on Stokes after nightclub incident
England head coach Brendon McCullum has revealed how he reacted when he learned that captain Ben Stokes had broken curfew. He said he initially felt disbelieved, then furious, but ultimately worried about his captain’s well-being and future. The English coach said, “When I first learned about this, I was a little shocked. I didn’t know how to react, as so many things were going through my mind. Then I started worrying about Stokes. Right now, our entire focus is on how to handle and support these boys. However, we are not ignoring the fact that they have broken the standards and discipline we have set for ourselves. The most important thing for me now is how to support these players, especially Ben, during this difficult time. I am very worried about him.”
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